Cleaning and touching up outdrives

[gpetro]

I was wondering if anyone has painted the outdives with primer and paint after a few years of corrosion has set in? What type of primer and paint should be used? These are bravo3 outdrives that have accumulated some fresh water barnicles over the year and some corrosion from the current in the water at the slip or galvanic because of the 2 metals. Any info will be helpful. I'd like to know the steps to follow for best resuts.

[merwin10]

Outdrive or for that matter any aluminum surface needs to be preped before puting the final color on. First sand down the area so that it is bright. Feather in the old paint so you won't see a line. Cover the prop or other areas you don't want paint on! Wipe the area down with some mineral sprits as to get all the dust and foriegn matter off!

The primer for Aluminum is Zinc Chromate primer, just cover the alumiinum with a light coating. Then use only the recommended paint from the outdrive manufacturer so the match will be right. Cover all the Zinc Chromate primer and your done!

Mike -  

[gpetro]

Thanks Merwin. Will any type of zinc chromate primer work or does it have to be "marine" ? Any color better than the other ... green,yellow, red?

[merwin10]

I would stick with the marine I don't know if there is any differences with marine vs anyother. Most Zinc Chromate paints are green but I suppose it would not make any difference just as long as it is covered with the finished color paint.

Mike -  

[jezzb]

I have just painted my Bravo 3 outdrive with the paint which Merwin10 mentioned  - but when my mechanic came to fit my zinc anode - the large one shaed like a U - he removed the paint so that now I have bare metal between the face of the outdrive and the face of the zinc anode.  He said that this is done so that the drive will have adequate contact.
This cannot be right ..... bare aluminium will corrode.

What do you say Merwin10?

Jezz

[merwin10]

First of all I don't think the anode sits against the body of the stern drive it is held off by washers where the bolts go though the anode, so bare metal there does little to help. Next I will not argue the point with your marine tech but it should be painted the bolts provide the contact points. See Mecury's Corrosion site for your answer at:

http://www.mercurymarine.com/corrosion_faqs

Here is a service manual from Merc!

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/11/11a7r5x.pdf

Mike -  

[DBOMB]

try hammerhead products for frenzy wax. The stuff works real well.