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Have a 2003 240 bowrider with a 6.2 L mercruiser bravo 3 drive. I've had to add drive oil twice this year to the reservoir. It's never been super low but once under the add line. I'm planning on calling for a service appt tomorrow but thought I'd ask the forum here if there are any simpler/cheaper solutions. I'm not great with mechanical things and this is my first boat so don't have much prior experience other than being the carefree passenger.

If I just keep it full will it be ok to hold off till the off-season?

Thanks in advance!

And yes I put this in the wrong topic. Sorry. If someone can move it please do.

To be honest the b3 gets air pockets in it. I had to add a few times each year. Just Make sure your not laying anywhere. Prob not a big deal. I kept a qt in the boat anyways along with oil. Just in case.

What do you mean not laying anywhere? There is also some oil clearly mixed in with the water in my bilge. It's not much but it's got that color to it

That's what I meant. Oil in the bilge or in the lake.
My bilge is very clean so I know if I have a leak.

How do you clean the bilge? My boats on a lift.

Mine is cleaned when I buy it and never gets dirty after that. I use gunk engine degreaser and it works great. A bit of scrubbing. Boats that sit on a lift are way worse then a garage kept boat.

That's a nice clean bilge!

Mine is pretty spotless - there's always a little bit I have to get after she sits on the lift for a while.

Wow BBP
My bilge was exceptionally clean yet it was 90% as clean as your bilge. I never saw anyone's around the lake as clean as mine. You set the new standard my friend.

My boat is on a lift and pulling the plug is a PITA. The bilge is very clean, but there's always 1-2" of water that the pump can't reach. Especially after a long day of tubing.

Should I be vacuuming this water out? Water has no color at all from algae or oil.

Driller wrote: Sun Aug 06, 2017 7:22 pm My boat is on a lift and pulling the plug is a PITA. The bilge is very clean, but there's always 1-2" of water that the pump can't reach. Especially after a long day of tubing.

Should I be vacuuming this water out? Water has no color at all from algae or oil.

Hey Driller,

Only if you are OCD about your bilge. Otherwise no-- with maybe one exception.

If you leave your boat in storage for awhile (over 2-3 weeks or more, mold and mildew can build up on the inside of your engine compartment. The hotter the temperature, the easier it can take hold. This happened to me on the inside engine compartment of my Donzi once. It was not fun to remove.

Driller wrote: Sun Aug 06, 2017 7:22 pm My boat is on a lift and pulling the plug is a PITA. The bilge is very clean, but there's always 1-2" of water that the pump can't reach. Especially after a long day of tubing.

Should I be vacuuming this water out? Water has no color at all from algae or oil.

Hey Driller,

Only if you are OCD about your bilge. Otherwise no-- with maybe one exception.

If you leave your boat in storage for awhile (over 2-3 weeks or more), mold and mildew can build up on the inside of your engine compartment. The hotter the temperature, the easier it can take hold. This happened to me on the inside engine compartment of my Donzi once. It was not fun to remove. She was stored for over a month with some water in the bilge.

Myself that would drive my nuts. I would get a sponge or make a water pump that I could connect to the battery of some sorts.

Big Block Power wrote: Sun Aug 06, 2017 7:38 pm Myself that would drive my nuts. I would get a sponge or make a water pump that I could connect to the battery of some sorts.

that's cause you have OCCD--Obsessive Cobalt Cleaning Disorder, BBP. I believe there are others on this forum who need therapy as well