Prop doesn't spin???????? what to look for.

[joetheis]

I will tell you as much as I was told...........
This is on a Medalion boat 140 4 banger, with a Alpha outdrive.
I'm looking to buy it........... haven't seem it yet in person......
E mailed the guy about it, got a reply.
In July he went and replaced the impeller.
Had problems re installing the lower unit, now the prop doesn't spin.
I emailed him back thinking it was still out, "perhaps the control or lower unit isn't in "forward". Lower unit is out, so we can't start it up"?
Got a reply, the lower unit is IN, but prop doesn't spin, but we can fire it up?????????
My first thought is the coupler is bad BEFORE the impellar, (why an impeller in July? why not the start of the season or before winterization? Did it over heat??.......
Is it possible to install the lower unit and not get the shaft in place for the lower unit??
IF, IF, IF I go down to look at it , (I asked if perhaps we could pull the lower unit and try to install it again).
Any idea of what could he did wrong, or is wrong?
The boat is pretty cheap, a good base to make a good salmon boat for Lake Ontario next year.
Joe

 

[Rick Stephens]

Sounds like he improperly set the lower shift shaft when he married the lower and upper cases together. Or left the stainless washer off the lower shift shaft which can disengage its connection to the shift shoe making it not shift. Close inspection will tell you if the shift shoe isn't engaged.

If the coupler is the problem, then in gear when you turn the prop opposite direction, the entire drive shaft will turn all the way up to the back of the motor.

If you are going to look in person at this boat, before you purchase it you should be prepared to inspect all the shift linkage, see if it is moving correctly. Might even need the outdrive removed and the cases drained and separated to see if the assembly was done wrong to account for the problems.

It is really hard to purchase a boat where a $1300 component could very well need replacing before you can use it. I price it that way because an aftermarket complete outdrive costs about that. You'll have no way to know anything except the motor runs unless you can run it in the water for a couple hours. So the risks are that the outdrive is bad enough to require replacement and that costs around $1300.

After having pulled outdrives a number of times, split them, reset the shift shafts, reassembled and reinstalled, you could probably do it in an hour or two. If it's your first time, will probably be a lot longer. Still, needs doing to know what the problem is. I would expect incorrect assembly before a bad coupler. Usually a coupler, when it first goes, still has enough friction to turn the prop out of the water running on muffs.

Rick

 

[thumpar]

My first guess would be as Rick stated. The halves weren't put together in forward. If you look at the shift shoe (front middle of the drive) while shifting it should move straight forward. If is doesn't it is off a tooth or more.

 

[stonyloam]

There are only 3 things that generally go wrong putting it back together: fork on shift slide not capturing the roller on the shift shaft lever, washer missing under intermediate shift shaft, gear housing in reverse rather than forward when reassembled. Shift slide: control lever moves freely F to R will engage either F or R not both. Washer: control moves freely, nothing happens. Assembled in reverse: control will jam when you pul it back, gearcase stuck in reverse. If the control moves freely, I vote for the washer. Look underneath to see if the upper and intermediate shift shafts are connected. The other problems could be bad coupler, broken vertical drive shaft (they would have seen that when they changed the impeller) or the upper gears in the outdrive are shot.

 

[joetheis]

Tanks!
I know it's not much to go on, but......
I got the guys phone # and might give him a call and see WTF.
It's listed cheap now, maybe I can get it dirt cheap????
Armed with what know now, at least I have a startignpoint.
First thing I will do is get an idea of what kinda wrench turner this guy is............
My gut feeling is, IF he did this in July and hasn't fixed it yet, and is selling it, a caveman wrench turner.
Stand by..........
Joe

 

[biggjimm]

Sounds like it's an alignment issue or washer missing in the shift shaft, IF he's being honest about the deal, that is.

If it is a simple fix, he may up his price on you. Because now he has a "operable" boat for sale.

 

[stonyloam]

Reread your first post. Sounds like it overheated and he replaced the impeller then screwed up the outdrive install. Make sure he has a pair of muffs and see if he will start it for you. If it runs and DOES NOT START TO OVERHEAT it sounds like it might just be a screw up. With the engine off, shift into F and try to rotate the prop CCW, should lock, then try in R CW. If it does not lock in either direction chances are that the washer is missing and it is stuck in N. Look underneath to see if the shift shafts are connected. If the prop locks in one direction, chances are it is an adjustment or improper instillation. If it runs OK you could take a chance and lowball, it is after Labor Day. Good luck.

 

[joetheis]

I took the 45 minute ride down to look at it Saturday.
I brought a few wrenches a set of muffs, my thermo laser temp reader to read each spark plug and the head temps.
I didn't get too far with it!!
The pics were not the best and I see why when I got there!
Or, now that I think of it, perhaps they were pics of a few years ago, when the boat was nice??!!
I took a quick look inside the boat, looked MUCH better in the pic!
No gauges worked, the trim control was off that day too, (only thing that was good was MOST of the air was in the tires)!
I told him I had gotten called into work and had to go, (I didn't want to hurt his feeling by telling him the bone yard would make him pay for the boat)!
It was a solid project, nothing what I wanted nor was going to pay for!
Scratch that one off!
Joe

 

[Rick Stephens]

Keep on looking. The one with your name on it is out there. Good thing is you know the difference between junk and good. Many people cannot go look at a boat without getting the money out.

 

[thumpar]

You will know when you find the one. Make sure you feel it. Also make user you get a lake test before buying.

 

[joetheis]

I have a HARD time figuring out junk from good! (that's why I like to bounce things off you guys at this site)!
It's happened sooooo many times before, I've dragged home P.O.S. cars, trucks, bikes, my first motorboat, my last sailboat, (and the house I'm living in)!
I feel sorry? for them, (like a wet stray dawg), later that 1 sense able brain cell will be screaming, "Are you out of your mind"!, but that brain cell always loses out in the end!
Then I spend countless hours bringing IT back to life, only to finish and sell it!!
IF the guy looked like he knew what he was doing, if the enviroment looked like he knew what he was doing, well.....
But, I left the boat, sobbing in the back yard, to who know what kind of fate!
Another thing (the 1 good brain cell is firing now), "where do I put 50" of boat/ trailers?? (I have to bring my Grumman home soon, so it'll be 2- 24' boat /trailer combos to park and store all winter).
If boats didn't loose their resale value like a expensive watch over the side, I'd buy a new one and get it over with!
Joe
SO many boats, so few $$

 

[Rick Stephens]

He he. This isn't a bad time to be looking for a boat. Just take your time. We'll enjoy the search with you.

Rick

 

[joetheis]

You know your searching TOO hard when you got all the "For Sale" adds just about memorized!
Joe