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270 outdrive question

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ruckus3313

Regular Contributor
We do alot of camping with our

We do alot of camping with our boat and beach it quite often. my outdrive gets tilted in full up position because the water is only about 2 feet deep at the transom of the boat. I like to start and warm up the lil 4 cyl. every morning before we head out for the day but can i start and warm up the boat with the tilt/outdrive all the way up. I have heard that you cannot??im not sure why but would like to get a solid answer on this.thanks for the help!!
 
"The simple answer is NO. If y

"The simple answer is NO. If you read the VP owners' manuals, some of them just tell you to lower the drive before starting until the warning light is not lit, and others tell you "do not start the engine while the drive is fully up".

Two things will happen if you start the engine with the drive up: 1) the u-joints will be at an angle they are not designed to work at, and b) the intake grids will be too high, or even out of the water."
 
"The full UP position causes t

"The full UP position causes the U joint bearing crosses to operate in an extreme articulating position.
They will work in this position at very low rpm.
<font size=""+1"">Would I recommend this? NO!</font>

You may also be shortening the life of your drive shaft bellows if left in this position for any long durations.
If this is normal practice for you, I'd be replacing these bellows more frequently than on a drive that is seldom left in the full UP position.

Just an FYI on that for you.

."
 
well i only leave my drive in

well i only leave my drive in the fully up position when it is beached like in my picture of my boat.I replace bellows every other year as its only used in fresh water and trailered everywhere it goes. Drive is left fully down when parked or stored. I did not want to drive the boat at all with the drive fully up just wanted to start it and warm it up before departing.
 
Would it hurt to leave the dri

Would it hurt to leave the drive 3/4 up just to start and warm the boats engine. I wouldnt even put it into gear just neutral to warm engine before departing??
 
"While I can't recommend t

"While I can't recommend this, I think that if you were to only idle the engine, and if there is no risk of sucking silt/sand up through the water grate, you would likely be OK.
There is no load on the crosses while running with the drive partially up. They would basically just going along for the ride, so to speak.

If you were to hear them clattering, I'd not do it.

Your call!"
 
"And you can bet he will hear

"And you can bet he will hear them clattering if he starts the engine with the drive fully up!!! Many of us (yup, that includes me
blush.gif
) have started the engine without realizing the drive was up, and we know how it sounds, don't we?
wink.gif
"
 
thanks guys. ill lower the dri

thanks guys. ill lower the drive as far as possible in the future before starting. Thanks for the good info. i usually keep it fully down but in some circumstances it needs to be tilted up. Thanks a bunch
 
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