SEI Stern drives?

Now, since I paid nothing for it -- I'm willing to buy the new outdrive; but SEI sells one for over 1/2 what an actual alpha one is going for.

Does anyone have any experience with SEI outdrives?

Thanks -josh

The engine died when it went into reverse (on the water) -- came to a HALT. The prop did not turn at all; wouldn't even wiggle. the engine wouldn't turn at all; wouldn't even wiggle.

I hammered on the prop to try to free it - and finally got it going. made a horrible "squeek" and clearly was out of oil all teh way down to the bottom unit. Oh, yes; the dipstick? covered in rust, clearly has been out of oil for some time.

Once prop was free to move, engine still would not move. however, moving the transmittion into forward/reverse, I could still move the prop, but it was a little hard to turn it. (still could turn it over)

Removed outdrive, engine turns over no problem.

From: Don W <donw_s11atswbelldotnet@figure.it.out> Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:29:58 GMT Subject: Re: Experience with SEI Sterndrive, was Ad: Sterndrive Engineering .... I had a mechanic install an SEI drive on my 1986 Maxum last year. The drive looked well made and had a very good finish on it, but it had serious gear noise right out of the box. The mechanic and another sterndrive mechanic that I had look at it thought that it had been incorrectly shimmed at the factory.

We contacted the factory and they said to run it for ten hours, and if it was still making the noise they would warranty the drive, although we would have to pay for the removal and re-installation (~$600).

We took the boat on a long trip up the lake with the idea of putting the hours on it, and unfortunately hit a submerged rock with the lower unit on the way back. Obviously, that voided the warranty. The funny thing was that the SEI drive sounded better with the crushed torpedo, and water mixed in the oil than it ever did before the strike. That lends some credence to the idea that the drive was incorrectly setup at the factory, because the strike probably pushed the gears closer together.

I then bought a factory new Mercruiser outdrive to put on the boat, put it on myself, and had no more trouble with the outdrive.

I think that SEI makes a good product, and hope that they are successful with it, but in checking around found that a lot of people were having trouble with the "gear noise" problem about that time. They may have found and fixed the problem by now.

if the drive is whole, you may get a good trade-in value for a reconditioned drive, with all appropriate upgrades, at:

http://www.dougrussell.com/

I've had insured clients using them since 1988, with 100% sataisfaction.

Rob

Hmmmm - perhaps descretion is the better part of valor here. :>)

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Rob

cheers

I'll keep an eye on that; since removal was about 20 mintues; I think if it has to be warrantied, it'll be ok here.

-- Disclaimer: This is a boating post and applies to boaters. It is not intended to provoke, annoy, irritate, bother, aggravate, anger,incite, inflame, infuriate or create controversy resulting in unacceptable behavior on the part of other posters nor is it intended to generate political commentary or off-topic debate.

It's a quality product and from what I have seen, very well built.

-josh