I've just had cruisers before, straight-shaft big-block family cruisers. Grew up working at marinas, enjoy turning wrenches, but this is something different. Tomorrow I'm looking at a '97 Superhawk 48 with triple 502cid/550hp engines. I'm not interested in it for speed, but being able to run on an easy plane across Lake Michigan in 2-3' chop would be nice. This thing has been maintained very well mechanically by a pro, I should be starting with aged but sound engines and drives. How much regular annual maintenance will these engines and drives need when driven relatively gently? Will lots of short runs to the beach or sunset be bad for these high-strung engines?

How often should the drives be pulled off and serviced? How often should the bellows and seals be replaced for slipping it in water 6-months/year?

Thanks and howdy.

With the engine serial number, a Mercruiser dealer can order the owners Manual for the engine/drive package. All the factory recommended service intervals and lubricants are in there. If you want to undertake the work your self, you will need the Mercruiser service manuals as well.

Is it the one in Chicago ?

Yes. I've talked to the owner, sounds like he has given his mechanic free-rein to do whatever servicing was needed. Two drives have been rebuilt, not sure what else recently, I'll talk with the mechanic. No way to know how hard it has been run. Balsa-cored hull sides and deck, I'll want a good survey done on that. I'm not a fan of balsa-cored boats and this one is over 20 years old, that is probably my biggest hesitation.

Those 502 MPI's are 415 hp stock so unless they've been modified their not 550..........scan the engines for faults and engine hours......Its a beast,.cool boat good luck

Thanks all, I'm thinking I'll pass, probably not the boat for me. I want a boat that I don't have to worry about. No balsa core, no fragile drive trains. Something overpowered so the drivetrain is not stressed. It would cost more than this boat will ever be worth to repower this to that state.