D4 Owners Beware - Service Update!
If you have a Volvo D4 Package Unit with the DPH Outdrive, you will need to check the brass cotter pin which retains the shift cable onto the shifter on the back upper half of the outdrive every time you change your outdrive oil (100-200Hours). This past weekend I did a lower unit lube and zinc replacement and on my way back to my slip the corroded brass cotter pin fell out of the cable end and my cable came off the shifter while in forward gear. While pulling into my slip I was unaware I was stuck in forward so consequently when I put her into reverse gear and gave it a little throttle to stop my forward motion, just the opposite occurred as I just floored it in forward and ended up on top of the dock finger. When she came down as the dock finger was pushed into the water, my gunnel contacted and crushed a 6" section of the boat's next to me gunnel, and put a small dent in my stainless bumper trim up towards the bow not to mention the stain on my seat right behind the helm! I replaced the pin with a 3/32" X 1" Stainless Cotter Pin which is a little thicker than the original brass pin so hopefully it won't happen again; but it's just as easy to inspect the shifter when you pull the Upper Outdrive Cover to check/change your Lower Unit Oil. It's on the starboard side of the drive.
