How to Check an Outdrive on a Boat
- 1). Turn the engine to the off position.
- 2). Place the drive in the forward gear.
- 3). Insert the socket and breaker bar to a solid surface on the engine. Turn the engine over in a clockwise rotation with the instruments.
- 4). Make the turn 1/4 full rotation from the engine's original position. This should take out what is known as the "slop," or movement in the outdrive.
- 5). Place a mark on the front pulley of the engine. Also, mark the location of the prop.
- 6). Ask your assistant to watch the mark you made on the prop.
- 7). Turn the engine with your instruments until the prop rotates once. Notice how far the engine had to rotate for the prop to reach a full turn. A full rotation of the prop has a direct correlation to the turn of the engine. For example, if your engine rotated to 1 1/2 turns making the prop rotate in 1 full turn, your gear ratio is 1.5. This is an appropriate ratio for a V-8 engine.
