she screamed and refused to move!

[noizmaker]

Hello,
I'm in need of everyone?s expertise please. Still a boating newb.. Thanks in advance.
Yesterday I experienced my first catastrophic boating event!

Boat info: 1988 Crestliner 245 cuddy. 350 Merc/Alpha 1

Throttled up to plane, running about 3500 rpms and all of a sudden, a VERY LOUD SCREECH and a strong smell of burning rubber. I pulled throttle back and opened the dog house. We found nothing obvious, just a little smoke coming from behind motor down low by transom area. Tried to go into gear (forward) and she would not move. Just the engine ran up but no movement.
Shut down and got a tow.
After we got her on the trailer we checked lower unit and noticed the exhaust bellow was split in half. This was installed new at the beginning of this year?s boating season.
Any thoughts..?

 

[scoutabout]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Are you sure it was the exhaust and not the driveshaft bellow? Sounds like maybe you had a u-joint failure that was bad enough to shred the housing. Did you take on water when this happened? Have you had any other work done on that area of the boat?

 

[noizmaker]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Hi Scoutabout,
No, I'm not sure which bellow it was.. It's the largest rubber tub between lower unit and transom. When I removed the plug no water exited. And after a 60 min tow, (tow rope broke 3 times) and then sat in Labor day ramp traffic for another hour she had plenty of time to take on water. Glad she didn't tho..
We have had a lot of work done in that area. All bellows replaced, Throttle cable, impeller, power steering actuator(not really in that area), Can't think of anything else round there.
Thanks for the help..

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Sounds like the engine coupler smoked, it connects your engine to the lower unit via rubber.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Engine coupler is the probable cause of the screeching and rubber burning smell followed my no forward momentum, the coupler trasferes torque and power
to the the drivesft.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Can't thank you all enough.. I'll do my research and verify next steps..

Thanks again for the help.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

The thread title sounds like my love life

 

[aspeck]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Yesterday my boat would scream with no go ... then I remembered to take the tie downs off! :redface: Sounds like my fix was easier, but more embarrassing in the Labor Day traffice!

 

[CharlieB]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Engine coupler is toast.

You can fire this up on the hose and all will check out O.K. as there is NO LOAD on the prop, BUT..............

Once you get this back in the water and in gear, the coupler WILL fail,

AND.............

When the coupler fails, the water pump in the lower unit isn't turning or pumping cooling water into the engine, and you can soon toast that motor.

If you are a contortionist with a flashlight and a mirror, you just MIGHT get to take a look at the coupler and see a 'bead' of re-solidified molten rubber along the edges of the rubber damper of the coupler. Similar to the rubber between the prop barrel and the splined collar, the engine coupler 'cushions' the drive from the shock of each cyl firing.

P.I.T.A., but the drive comes off, the engine gets raised, and replace the coupler.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

All great feedback. I'm glad I shut her down and didn't burn up the motor..

So, let me ask this. Since we have to drop the lower unit and take the motor out is there anything else we should/could replace since we have to do the coupler?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Not really,pull the drive off,then the engine.Replace the coupler set the engine back in,install lag bolts back to the stringers and put the 2 rear engine mount bolts on.
Check alignment then install the drive.

You should inspect-grease the U-joints while the drive is off.

If you have a hoist to get the engine lifted up 2 people can do this job in a day no problem.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Thanks again everyone.

Any ideas on price range for labor? Looks like the part ranges from $300-400. Unfortunately I do not have access to a hoist so I'll have to pay to repair.

 

[howlnmad]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

All great feedback. I'm glad I shut her down and didn't burn up the motor..

So, let me ask this. Since we have to drop the lower unit and take the motor out is there anything else we should/could replace since we have to do the coupler?

Yes, check and grease the u-joints, check the gimbal bearing, inspect the bellows and replace the impeller.

 

[Kaplooi]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Considering it's an '88 if you're going to pay to have the engine and drive pulled there's opportunity to consider a ton of maintenance on anything that might be either original or otherwise in need of replacement. Steering swivel shaft, swivel pin, gimbal ring replacement if you have overly loose steering. Lower unit shift cable, tilt/trim wiring, gimbal bearing, bellows, u-joints, exhaust y-pipe lower gasket (if you have through prop exhaust), shift shaft bushing/seal, water intake o-ring, outdrive gaskets, distributor cap/rotor if access is poor in your engine bay normally. Point being that if some of these things (steering related components in particular) fail on their own time you're in for the same amount of labor to pull the engine and drive to fix them. Most of the other stuff can be replaced by just pulling the drive though.

 

[nuboat2me]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Since you have the lower off, I'd replace the lower shift cable and bellow as well...

I learned that lesson, after replacing the Impellor. 2nd time out, she wouldn't shift... Had to pull the lower again... Not that its a hard job, just time comsuming...

It is a $40 part and you are already in the neighborhood...

Its like replacing the water pump on you car. I pull the timing chain cover and take a peek at the chain. Pulled 3 pumps in the last 10 years. Replaced 2 timing chains... Preventative maintenance if you will....

Good luck!!! Oh... and have fun... Be careful, you just may learn something...


Just sayin'...

Nuboat2me (Jeff)

 

[bago]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

For sure coupler`s gone south.If I was you and I was not long ago I`d chek the transom for rot that makes the engine and drive misalligned.The front engine mount as well.

 

[noizmaker]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

Wow, transom rot.. that's a big one! Sent me into a panic attack just thinking about it!
I can't imagine tearing this thing apart and putting it back together again.. But, we'll do what has to be done...

 

[Gromulin]

Re: she screamed and refused to move!

The thread title sounds like my love life

...or a mother-in-law on the couch during a Thanksgiving football game