Stuck Mercruiser 330

[wca_tim]

Re: Stuck Mercruiser 330

coke (and many / most other colas) contains phosphoric acid... which does indeed dissolve rust - and metal... it's actually a pretty good, mile rust reducer. It'll also dissolve other metals over time, etc...

Vineger (acetic acid) will work as well, but has more tendency than phosphoric acid (coke) to attack the iron.

If you're in a hurry you can buy and dilute phosphoric / trisodium phosphate reust remover from the autoparts store (ever put this stuff pure on a really rusty piece of metal? amazing what it can do given a chance).

Hydrochloric acid (often sold as the old name, muriatic acid) works great too, but it's really hard to get the surface neutral enough to keep it from flash rusting once you get it dry...

coke and a smile...

I was going to suggest the compressed air method as well - it works great. in fact the compression fitting on my compression gauge will work with the air hose. If you take the valve cover off you can also see where the engine is in it's cycle and push on the "right" cylinder.

ps. it sucks to learn the hard way what a pain it can be to deal with a broken crank pulley bolt...

 

[MikDee]

Re: Stuck Mercruiser 330

Great Info Tim! So, Jack are you saying you can't turn the prop in neutral? First make sure you are in neutral? Then I would think you should be able to turn the prop fairly easily, Or that might be an issue, or a contributing issue!

 

[Jack Rose]

Re: Stuck Mercruiser 330

Nope, it won't turn while the transmission is in neutral. I don't know how easily it should turn, though, since it's been a while since either the stuffing box or the strut bearing have been attended to.

But if neither of those is the reason the prop isn't turning, maybe this is good news, that it's my transmission rather than my engine that's stuck.

And yes, I know I may have to "just pull the @*&$! engine" as some are eager for me to do. And I apologize for not giving you guys any new info to work with. Other things have taken precedence, here, but I'll try to get some answers this evening.

Thanks for your patience and continued input.

Jack Rose

 

[tomwhysy]

Re: Stuck Mercruiser 330

prop should turn with one finger when in neutral and while in gear fairly easly in oposite way with clunking noise if all above fail pull out ur outdrive and try again that will solve this problem ( i seen outdrive stuck from lack of oil before )

 

[Jack Rose]

Re: Stuck Mercruiser 330

This is an inboard, only, no outdrive, but I'm assuming most of that still applies. Right?

Jack

 

[Jack Rose]

Re: Stuck Mercruiser 330

OK, the prop turns, not freely, but with not a whole lot of pressure, in both directions ... whether the transmission is in F, N or R. And I'm shifting it from the shifter on the transmission, not the one mounted on the wheel. The shaft also turns with the prop.

However, the two sided flange at the rear of the transmission, that couples it to the shaft, is not turning. Should the flange, itself, be turning too or is there a bearing that allows the shaft to turn inside the flange? I can't get my head down in the bilge to see w/o pulling up some flooring.

And if that flange is not supposed to be turning with the shaft, should the shaft be able to turn in both directions whether the transmission is in F, N or R? That doesn't seem right to me.

Sorry for those questions, but marine inboard transmissions are completely unknown territory for me.

Also, I noticed that on the transmission (Velvet Drive) it says something to the effect that its output provides a clock-wise rotation (facing forward from rear of engine) and requires a right hand prop (which it has).

So, that says to me that the crank pulley on the front of the engine should be turning counter-clockwise (as you face it from the bow), not clock-wise as I had thought before. Is that right, too?

Thanks again,

Jack

 

[hard-3]

Re: Stuck Mercruiser 330

Here is a link to info from velvet drive
http://www.velvetdrive.com/