Winterizing V-Drive Inboard

RadioguyJ

RadioguyJ

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Last fall I purchased our new Cruisers 3672, it features V-drive transmissions and dripless shaft seals. I am new to the whole inboard ownership experience, so my knowledge is rather limited. I know that in the past, when inboards had stuffing boxes, you had to winterize those to prevent damage over winter layup.

My question is, with our current setup, is there any particular winterizing that must be done? I assume because there are no stuffing boxes, that there should be no or minimal water coming through the shaft seals, correct?

The marina where we bought the boat handled the winterizing for us. They gave me an invoice showing the work they performed. THey did not put a check mark next to "V-Drive" so I'm assuming no special winterizing is needed on that.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Thanks!!
 
Uh oh - I'm not aware of the need to winterize a stuffing box. Not sure about the dripless type though. If you're hauled, I would think it would self drain?
 
Hi Jason,

I assume yours is fresh water cooled (closed system)

For ours, when they pumped the anti freeze through the raw side, it supposedly reaches the dripless seals as well. I was not too worried about it, as there shoould only be minimal water in the seals, plus the rubber boots should expand, I would presume that would be where the bulk of any water would be.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
I have never winterize my stuffing boxes in past boats or the dripless shaft seals I have had in the last 2 boats
I'm just very lucky or it does not have to be done
 
Jason,

I would think the same applies as the fresh water cooled... meaning anti freeze reaches them at some point. i don;t think it's a big issue though, I've never heard any problems from our friends with dripless, or regular stuffing boxes, and it gets cold up at the lake in SD.
 
I believe V-drives are self draining, at least all the one I know about are, so are stuffing boxes.
 
I assumed they would be self draining, or not require any special winterizing. But I wanted to ask some experienced inboard v-drive owners. Thanks!
 
V drives self draining? I must be missing something here, but where does water come into contact anywhere with a v drive? Stuffing boxes need no winterization. When you haul out, they dry out. Dripless seals get winterized when you run anti-freeze through the engine. There is a raw water line to each seal for cooling. When you run antifreeze through the engine, you'll see it coming out under the boat at the shafts.
Greg
 
The V's I know about have 2 scoups on the bottom of the boat, 1 facing forward, 1 aft. Water flows through them when the boat moves through the water, once boat is pulled they drain.
 
So these Vs are water cooled instead of cooled by a transmission or oiler cooler? Learn something new everyday.
 
I have not seen the scoops, interesting though...on our maxum, the V drive/transmission oil coolers were cooled by the closed side of the cooling system. They were Borg Warner 5000's.
 
got it, as in seperate from the transmission, so basically a directional gear box between trans output and shaft...
 
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