Advice on 3A drives
#1
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Advice on 3A drives
I would like to get some advice on 3A drives. I'm concidering a boat that has these on it and wonder about parts availability? I's also like to know what opinions in general some have?
#4
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Short version-
They're a very sturdy, heavy-duty drive. Rated for 850 HP. They are discontinued and parts are getting more scarce every day. When parts were available, they were EXPENSIVE, just like all Mercruiser stuff. The rarer they get, the more expensive they'll become. The upside- if well-maintained, they'll likely not need much. The downside- if they haven't been well-maintained, they may or may not have issues.
Like everything, condition and documentation is everything. If the guy has recent invoices from someone who knows what they're doing, that should give you peace of mind. On the other hand, if they haven't been opened in a decade, they have big power behind them and they're looking long in the tooth, beware.
They're a very sturdy, heavy-duty drive. Rated for 850 HP. They are discontinued and parts are getting more scarce every day. When parts were available, they were EXPENSIVE, just like all Mercruiser stuff. The rarer they get, the more expensive they'll become. The upside- if well-maintained, they'll likely not need much. The downside- if they haven't been well-maintained, they may or may not have issues.
Like everything, condition and documentation is everything. If the guy has recent invoices from someone who knows what they're doing, that should give you peace of mind. On the other hand, if they haven't been opened in a decade, they have big power behind them and they're looking long in the tooth, beware.
#5
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Gold Member
Short version-
They're a very sturdy, heavy-duty drive. Rated for 850 HP. They are discontinued and parts are getting more scarce every day. When parts were available, they were EXPENSIVE, just like all Mercruiser stuff. The rarer they get, the more expensive they'll become. The upside- if well-maintained, they'll likely not need much. The downside- if they haven't been well-maintained, they may or may not have issues.
Like everything, condition and documentation is everything. If the guy has recent invoices from someone who knows what they're doing, that should give you peace of mind. On the other hand, if they haven't been opened in a decade, they have big power behind them and they're looking long in the tooth, beware.
They're a very sturdy, heavy-duty drive. Rated for 850 HP. They are discontinued and parts are getting more scarce every day. When parts were available, they were EXPENSIVE, just like all Mercruiser stuff. The rarer they get, the more expensive they'll become. The upside- if well-maintained, they'll likely not need much. The downside- if they haven't been well-maintained, they may or may not have issues.
Like everything, condition and documentation is everything. If the guy has recent invoices from someone who knows what they're doing, that should give you peace of mind. On the other hand, if they haven't been opened in a decade, they have big power behind them and they're looking long in the tooth, beware.
sums it up!
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