Confused about prop mounting - 2000 merc 135

[AdamLotz]

Help me out here guys, I'm checking out a used boat, and the seller doesn't know anything about anything...<br /><br />The boat/engine looked good, it fired right up, ran smooth. Everything seemed great until I got to the prop, which just out of habit I grabbed and gave a good spin by hand. <br /><br />Oddly, the prop seemed not to be connected tightly?! I could grab two blades of the prop and wiggle it back and forth just about 1/8".. however, if I pulled outward on the prop and twisted, everything operated smoothly. IE it didn't seem to be a shaft issue.. ?! Is this something screwed up (or intentional?) in the way the prop is mounted, some kind of breakaway mount system, or..?? <br /><br />Seems like every other prop I've ever grabbed has been tightly coupled to the shaft with only minimal play... so... ??<br /><br />And along the same lines... 2000 merc 135 carbed... anything I should know / look for in particular about this engine?

 

[Monark78]

Re: Confused about prop mounting - 2000 merc 135

Originally posted by AdamLotz:<br /> Help me out here guys, I'm checking out a used boat, and the seller doesn't know anything about anything...<br /><br />The boat/engine looked good, it fired right up, ran smooth. Everything seemed great until I got to the prop, which just out of habit I grabbed and gave a good spin by hand. <br /><br />Oddly, the prop seemed not to be connected tightly?! I could grab two blades of the prop and wiggle it back and forth just about 1/8".. however, if I pulled outward on the prop and twisted, everything operated smoothly. IE it didn't seem to be a shaft issue.. ?! Is this something screwed up (or intentional?) in the way the prop is mounted, some kind of breakaway mount system, or..?? <br /><br />Seems like every other prop I've ever grabbed has been tightly coupled to the shaft with only minimal play... so... ??<br /><br />And along the same lines... 2000 merc 135 carbed... anything I should know / look for in particular about this engine?

 

[Monark78]

Re: Confused about prop mounting - 2000 merc 135

The only thing I can tell you is that perhaps the spacer is missing.

 

[AdamLotz]

Re: Confused about prop mounting - 2000 merc 135

I'm confused, I wandered around a few boat yards today and didn't see anything similar anywhere... looking into the prop, you could clearly see how the prop lined up with a number of oddly spaced "teeth" (They were deep, not just shaft splines) and it was clearly tight side to side, but you could move it 1/4" in and out, and if you grabbed it by the center, it would easily wobble back and forth at the forward end. Oddly though, there was no obvious sign of wear or damage anywhere - it looked like when you were in motion, the water pressure would have snugged it right up?!

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Confused about prop mounting - 2000 merc 135

Thrust washer missing or the prop was changed and the proper washer not put on.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: Confused about prop mounting - 2000 merc 135

Yep, thrust washer should be behind (or forward) of the prop (it's brass and probably about 1/4" thick and the same diameter of the inner hub of the prop. Without it you will have play and the prop will probably hit the outer edge of the gear case (not good).