Noisy V-drive

I just bought a 1992 Nautique Excel V-drive with low hours. The boat runs great but the v-drive makes a clanking at lower speeds. I seem to remember my other nautique doing the same. I hear those v-drives are bulletproof...is that true. I got a good price on the boat and I am not scared to put some money into it...even if that involves rebuilding the v-drive. Im just trying to figure out whether I need to repair anything. Has anyone ever taken the top off that v-drive to look for damage?

Also, what other repairs can I anticipate with that boat. I plan on switching the ignition to a normal distributor. Is the $500 Skidim kit really the only option. Seems like a lot for a distributor...or is that just what it costs.

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. The boat looks really serviceable, and its the boat I want for the next 20 years, so Im not afraid of putting some money into it. Thanks for your time.

eric lavine wrote: i wouldnt say the Walter's v-drive is bulletproof and again it surely isnt pocket proof

It sure isn't designed as such. Eric, I wonder have their prices gone up even more since they lost all the CC business?

The Walters uses straight cut gearing and the angle change is done with "U" joints. Due to backlash normal with this type of gear set, they can chatter.
Do check as Eric has suggested.

youknowthiscraig wrote: Also, what other repairs can I anticipate with that boat. I plan on switching the ignition to a normal distributor. Is the $500 Skidim kit really the only option. Seems like a lot for a distributor...or is that just what it costs.

you can have the dizzy and the coil for around 300 on summit, but you would need to fabricate a new electrical harness, and a mounting bracket for the selenoids and breakers that are mounted in the protec coil pack.
So I guess the $500 for the kit ain´t that much, plus they came with the spark cables...Only poor thing in the kit is the intallation guide....

all you will see is a copper tube if you pull the top cover, its a cooling tube that snakes around in there and water flows around it and no access to what you want to see. everything in that box comes out the bottom

My ProTec made it 900 hrs, wait till it gives you a reason to change it mine was great for 400hrs. The kit is worth the little extra because of the wiring harnes when it does need to be changed out.

That would be a reason not to buy the the ProTec kit. I think those take a little more work to set up properly and are a bigger benefit if there are other engine mods like the cam, intake and heads mod. I briefly thought about it and determined it wasn't enough of a benefit alone justify the extra cost since I wasn't sure when I would get the rest of the stuff done.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I've spoken with a few mechanics who say the v-drive rattle is normal. I just wanted to be conservative rather than multiplying problems. Im going to replace the strut bushing, adjust the packing, replace the dampner, change fluids, have the shaft checked for true, and go from there.

As for the ignition, yeah, perhaps I'll just keep the protec until it becomes a problem or I'm sure I want to move forward with this boat. I always like to get a sense of serviceability before dumping money into something. If I can squeeze a couple summers out of the protec, I'll be happy. Now my only possible concern is the dreaded stringers...but that is for another day...and I aint that scared.