I had my boat winterized at the marina last year. I had the "works" done, including having my engine re-aligned to my drive. This year I decided to winterize it myself. Should I change the gear oil in my Bravo Outdrive? I put about 50 hours on the hour meter this summer. What is the recommended procedure, if I were to change it?

I would change it. If your oil took water it could crack the housing when freezing. Maybe this will not happen very often but a friend of mine lost one housing last winter.

dont touch it, as long as it works!

With how easy it is to take the drive off, I do that.

I inspect the bellow boot and gimble bearing. This is crucial preventive maintance because you will never know it if you get water in there unless you look. If water did get in there and corrosion begins then it is a big pain to get out the old broken parts. I also grease the universal on the shaft, which a lot of people dont even realize that is there, and you wont unless you pull the drive.

To pull the drive, put it on the stand, change the lube, grease the universal, and inspect parts takes a maximum of 1 hour.

You dont need to but I cover my gimble housing and put the drive in the house(heated obviously).

Although I realize timucin was just joking, that is what you dont want to do.

Your outdrive and/or gimble bearing can run with water in it. That's of course why it's called "preventive maintance", which seems to be the key to a good running engine and drive.

If you do get water in it, the time will eventually come when you are out haveing fun and you start to hear the clanking.

No particular winterizing is necessary. The drive is self draining. Taking out the plug on the bottom of the bullet, and then the vent plug on top of the drive to drain lube if desired. Refill (with special $11 pump) with 2.5 to 3 qts of appropriate gear lube. Pump screws into bottom drain plug hole. Fill to between marks on upper vent screw dipstick. Replace both vent and drain screws paying attention that the gasket is in place under them. That is it.

BT

blue thunder,

I am no expert and I am not tring to "step on your toes" but what if he has a hole in his bellow or something, chances are he doesnt, but just sounds like good preventive maintance to me and it's fairly easy and quick.

Thanks for the replies. My mechanic said the gimble bearing and boot were in great shape last year (50 hours ago). My biggest concern is that there may be water sitting in my outdrive somewhere. It will be sitting in a warehouse all winter, that sometimes gets below 20 degrees for days at a time. I did not notice a drain screw any where near the base of my drive. I see one 3/4 of the way up. I wanted to at least check a lower drain screw for "milky" oil. Is there a screw down there, and I just did not look hard enough?

Pull the prop off and look behind it. You should see it at the bottom of the bullet when you look behind the prop.

Yep... there is a screw on the lower half of the bullet Thoma. Drain it, catch the first few ounces in a clear container to analyse for water seperation and refill. If you have water seperation, explore further.

Mark in So. MD.... You wanna talk anal retentive winterizing... I remove both drives AND both engines and keep indoors. Of course this is because I alway have stuff to do, but I haven't had to winterize anything the last couple years. Your suggestion is definately ultimate, but for the average boater, what I suggest is what probably 95% of the bravo 1 owners, and all other outdrive owners do. No disputing your way is best, just a little excessive for the average boater.

BT