Questions about outdrive/prop

I am currently in the process of trying to buy a boat and had some questions. My question is that i have requested a test drive from the person selling the boat for the owner and he told me that the boat was left in the water over the winter and that it would need some maintance done on the outdrive of sorts before it could be driven, keeping in mind he is not a boat person he could not explain to me what it needs just knows that the owner said it would cost about $600 . Can anyone help out with what this maintance might be that they are saying i need done and also if it in fact cant be driven until it is done

 

Some of the details would depend on the type of drive, but, normally lube oil is changed yearly, bellows checked, u-joints lubricated, props reconditioned and replaced, zinc's changed, repainted, etc. I have all seals checked for the prop shaft and tilting rams. I check the shift cables and exhaust flappers as well. If the drive was stored in the UP position corrosion of the rams might be an issue. If it was stored down in the water then bellows replacement is almost a must.

You could probably drive the boat but risk destroying the drive until it's been properly serviced. Depending on the age of the boat and asking price $600 is cheap insurance against having to replace an entire o/d.

 

Egad. Something with an outdrive was left in the water all winter? In New Jersey?
Before you fork out a single dollar on this boat, you need a marine surveyor. One who knows engines and sterndrives. Leaving a sterndrive in the water over the winter is a degree of clueless neglect that is rarely seen. The routine maintenance on a sterndrive should always be done BEFORE storage. It makes me very suspicious of how much other maintenance has been neglected; there could be a lot more hidden deterioration than you are aware of. Get a surveyor to do a thorough, honest evaluation of the drivetrain before you open your wallet.