Is there any problems storing a boat with the drives in gear? Instead of taking the load off the valve spring before storing the boat, I thought I could leave the drives in gear and turn the motors one revolution every 2 weeks. Once the boat is covered I don't have access to the motors. The other option I was thinking is running a set of battery cables out along with bump switches out from under the cover. Then every two weeks I could spin them. Although I like the drive method since I will know that I only turn one revolution so the loaded springs are now unloaded.

although it sounds like a good idea to do it via the drives.....i dont know if it would be all that easy to turn the engines over like that......ofcourse you would need to remove the plugs from the engines to ease the turn over but i think the jumper cable idea would be the way to go...

I think it would be alot easier doing the
jumper cable method, the drive gear reduction
would be working against you, making it like
an overdrive effect ( very hard to turn by hand)

I would also loosen the sea pump drive belt,
so the impeller isn't damaged.

jt

I'm going to make up a bar with a splin adapter to see if I can turn the motor via the prop shaft, if I can't I'll have to get the cables hooked up. I have until Nov to get it done.

Not worried about the impellers, they are replaced every year anyway.

I thought you aren't suposed to shift ( shut the engines off) with the Bravo's in gear???

What if I shut the motors down then put them into gear? I guess what I really want to know, what are the long term effects of leaving the drives in gear.

I thought there was a chance of stretching the cables putting it in gear and out of gear without engine running.

...or breaking some part of the shifting mechanism. I'd like to know the facts here.

Bruce...

Due to the way the cone clutch operates,
you will be using the prop shaft as the
"drive shaft" you will have to rotate the prop shaft the
opposite direction of prop rotation/ shifter position,
( if you have the shifter in forward, you will have to
rotate the propshaft in the direction that would
be "reverse" for the prop)in order to make the clutch
lock up, if you rotate it "forward", it will just freewheel.

Good luck.

so whats wrong with shooting engine fogger down the carbs or even into the cylinder holes via the spark plugs and not bothering to do all that work all winter? Am I missing something here that has seemingly worked for so many people for so many years?