Does not go in gear smoothly

[cozza]

Hi
I have a Volvo penta Diesel with a 290 DP drive and every time I put it in gear forward or reverse there is a loud clunk noise.
Can someone point me in the right direction of what it could be. The clunking noise happens when the boat is stationary or moving?

 

[Scott Danforth]

what RPM are the motors at when you go into gear?

 

[cozza]

Hi Scott
RPM gauge isn't working at the moment but the revs don't seemed to be to high. What's a good idle rpm for gear shifting. when I get the gauge fixed I will adjust it.
When I replaced the stern drive recently I noticed that the primary shaft had some play in it side by side so I wasn't too sure if this had anything to do with the clunking in the gear shift.
Cheers
Cozza

 

[Scott Danforth]

idle should be about 600. your primary shaft bearings are shot if there is any play.

 

[cozza]

idle should be about 600. your primary shaft bearings are shot if there is any play.

Scott what could happen if I carry on using the boat with the primary bearing like they are?

 

[Scott Danforth]

When the bearing fails completely, best case is your simply stranded with a broken boat, and you have to find a new PDS housing. Worse case, shaft starts to flail around, u-joint catches PDS casting and snaps off the end, and the pieces take out your drive, and your boat sinks.

Spend a little now to fix, or spend a lot later to replace

 

[cozza]

Thanks heaps Scott