1997 penta - did i screw it up?

[awalkertx]

Brand new boat (other than a jetski) owner here... hunted and found exactly what i wanted: just bought a mint ~250 hour 1997 cobalt with a 5.7L and a duo-prop out drive. and I am VERY afraid I screwed something up in the boat's first outing with me at the helm.

first: trim works but trim indicator does not.

second: i ran the drive in all sorts of different trim scenarios and at all RPMs. After re-reading the manual, I can see stringent RPM limitations for the drive when it's beyond certain angles. I know for a fact that I blew through those.

last: i have learned that the tilt switch does not need to be depressed for the motor to move up. i guess it defaults to no safety when the trim sensor isn't working.

There was no catastrophic failure, but I remember the outdrive getting very noisy as I trimmed up past a certain point... i'd immediately trim back down but I was waaaay over the 1000rpm limit. Was the u-joint the main recipient of the beating - or something further in the outdrive?

Any ideas for this idiot/novice boat owner? What should I do - what should I check? have I totally screwed up (or vastly decreased the life expectancy) of the out drive?

Thanks VERY VERY much for any help you may be able to give.
Adam
adamwalker@gimail.af.mil

 

[Bondo]

Re: beautiful '97 penta duoprop - did i screw it up on first outting?

Re: beautiful '97 penta duoprop - did i screw it up on first outting?

There was no catastrophic failure, but I remember the outdrive getting very noisy as I trimmed up past a certain point... i'd immediately trim back down but I was waaaay over the 1000rpm limit. Was the u-joint the main recipient of the beating - Any ideas for this idiot/novice boat owner?

Ayuh,..............

Don't Do that anymore..........

If you Can't figure out Where the Limit Is,.......... Get the Limit Switch Fixed....

 

[awalkertx]

Re: 1997 penta - did i screw it up?

100% with you on fixing the gauge/switch... probably won't take the boat out until i do... at the least, i'll physically verify the drive position and leave it there. was wondering though if there were any telltale signs of damage i should look for - change the drive oil and look for hunks of metal, etc? where would the evidence reside if i did screw something up? as far as changing the drive fluid, is there a comparable alternative to the volvo gl 5 synthetic gear lube? i'm in sticksville without a penta dealer/service location here. of course i'll order it if that's all it can take! thanks!

 

[wvit1001]

Re: 1997 penta - did i screw it up?

I keep trying to teach my son to read the owner's manual before he starts using anything. He's to impatient to do things right though, however he is only 17 years old.

I see people at the lake beating up their boats all the time. It must be nice to have enough money not to have to worry about tearing expensive equipment.

 

[tommays]

Re: 1997 penta - did i screw it up?

last: i have learned that the tilt switch does not need to be depressed for the motor to move up. i guess it defaults to no safety when the trim sensor isn't working.
?????


It should not be moveing unless your pushing a button ?


Tommays

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 1997 penta - did i screw it up?

If you have the "LK" model, there isn't a limit.

The damage would be to the u-joints, the gimbal bearing and or the input bearing of the drive.

If everything is still quiet when in normal operation, I would think you are ok.

Next time you start it on muffs, turn the sterndrive hard left and right and see if you hear/feel excess vibration. Do this with the drive in the down position.

Use Mobil 1 GL5 synthetic gear oil.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 penta - did i screw it up?

Bruce, the LK model has the trim limit on the DP models, not the single prop models.
Has the programable black box with all the flashing lights.

 

[awalkertx]

Re: 1997 penta - did i screw it up?

bruce - will put the muffs on and check... thanks!

tommays - the way the system is supposed to work is the drive will only trim up so far until you depress the trailer button, which then allows the drive to tilt the rest of the way up. whatever's broken on my boat (sensor or whatever) the trim limit apparently doesnt work and the drive keeps trucking up when it should normally stop.

wvit1001 - hard to believe i'm a military pilot. it must have to do with the overwhelming pay and no need for checklist discipline that keeps me around.