Dinged my prop question

[oceansbreeze]

Yeah, this almost belongs in stupid human tricks... I was exploring a new to me lake.. I saw a blue floater, and slowed down, was about 20 yards from the marker still, cruising literally almost at idle (no wake, just putting along) then BEEP the depth finder goes..... crunch crunch I hear, and immediately look down, and see rocks! I'm in 2 feet of water, and hit the power tilt!!

I lift the prop out of the water, the fin looks good, the engine stalled as soon as the prop hit one of the rocks... and the prop didn't appear to be damaged. .. about 30 seconds later I had drifted away from the danger area, and was back to 5-6 feet, dipped the engine in, started up easy, putted away, and continued on my way...

Now, I was inspecting the prop more after I retrieved it atr the launch, and when I turn the prop it goes tick tick tick tick (like a baseball card in your nicycle spokes) .... this is while engine is in neutral...

For the life of me, I never paid attention to if it made that sound BEFORE, or if I am just being overly paranoid! lol

I put it in gear, but I can't move the prop at all so I just want to know if the tick is normal in neutral.... thanks!

 

[hwsiii]

Re: Dinged my prop question

Breeze, what it sounds like hopefully is that your motor is in between gears and that can be adjusted out with the linkage rod going to the lower unit, and that could have happened when you had the accident. If that is not the problem you may have messed up your gears some when you hit the rocks. Hopefully it is just the linkage to the gears.

H

 

[oceansbreeze]

Re: Dinged my prop question

sooo.... the ticking is bad? the boat handled normally afterwards.... just to clarify, it spins freely when in neutral, I wondered if the ticking would stop while in gear, but when I put it into gear, I can't move the prop much more than an inch or two.... so back in neutral, I can spin spin spin.... tickity tickity tick tick...

 

[jriegle04]

Re: Dinged my prop question

i have an 85 johnson 150 that when in neutral there is no ticking. i would check my lower end fluid for metal and replace the fluid. if it seems like it is ok i would test it in the water. i had an I/O OMC before this boat and it did tick when in neutral. i am not an expert but i wouldn't be to concerned if it seems like it is working.

 

[hwsiii]

Re: Dinged my prop question

No breeze, what I was saying is that the linkage rod going to the lower unit of your motor that changes the motor from neutral to forward or reverse could have become misadjusted when you hit the rock. The adjustment will be between the top of the motor and the lower unit of the motor, it should have an adjustment on it to center it between forward and reverse which is Neutral. It sounds like it is not centering between forward and reverse and is just on the borderline so that is the ticking sound because it is almost slipping into gear,hopefully.

H

 

[oceansbreeze]

Re: Dinged my prop question

I launched again today on the same lake, as it is a small lake, and if I had any problems, I would not have problems getting to shore, or hailing a tow... I cruised around for several hours, dropped anchor to fish for a few more.... retrieved at the launch..... and now the tick tick sound is gone... I am hoping it (whatever it was) popped back into place, but I am definitely gonna keep my eyes on it, and mention it to the dealer when she gets her next servicing!! Thanks for the reply earlier hwsill!

 

[hwsiii]

Re: Dinged my prop question

You are welome Ocean.

H