Vibration

fstalfire

Cadet
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
Messages
25
Hi, so i have a '89 fourwinns sundowner 215 with a 5.7 merc and a Cobra outdrive...just got this boat and only had it out 3 times last year. I put it in the slip last week and took it for a ride today and it has a vibration when in gear, in idle its smooth but in gear and accelerating it had a vibration...i felt the prop and no bends are present, i'm thinking it has to be some shaft somewhere in the outdrive but how do i find this and if i continue to use it wont it wipe out a bearing? also, is some amount of vibrations normal? this reminds me or feels like something is bent.....I just dont want to just replace things until i find the culprit and thought there has to be a way to narrow it down?
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,095
Re: Vibration

Hi, so i have a '89 fourwinns sundowner 215 with a 5.7 merc and a Cobra outdrive...just got this boat and only had it out 3 times last year. I put it in the slip last week and took it for a ride today and it has a vibration when in gear, in idle its smooth but in gear and accelerating it had a vibration...i felt the prop and no bends are present, i'm thinking it has to be some shaft somewhere in the outdrive but how do i find this and if i continue to use it wont it wipe out a bearing? also, is some amount of vibrations normal? this reminds me or feels like something is bent.....I just dont want to just replace things until i find the culprit and thought there has to be a way to narrow it down?

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... That's like havin' a Ford/ Chevy....

It could be yer Mercruiser motor skippin',...
Or something in yer OMC outdrive that's Bent...

The motor can be serviced at the slip,... the drive needs to be on the hard...
 

cr2k

Captain
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
3,730
Re: Vibration

Sometimes a prop can hit something and become "out of phase" meaning that all three blades are not equally centered one blade may be slightly bent closer to the next. A long shot but it happens. Have you tried a different prop?

Also technically you have and should be posting in the OMC forum.
 

fstalfire

Cadet
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
Messages
25
Vibration

Hi, so i have a '89 fourwinns sundowner 215 with a 5.7 merc and a Cobra outdrive...just got this boat and only had it out 3 times last year. I put it in the slip last week and took it for a ride today and it has a vibration when in gear, in idle its smooth but in gear and accelerating it had a vibration...i felt the prop and no bends are present, i'm thinking it has to be some shaft somewhere in the outdrive but how do i find this and if i continue to use it wont it wipe out a bearing? also, is some amount of vibrations normal? this reminds me or feels like something is bent.....I just dont want to just replace things until i find the culprit and thought there has to be a way to narrow it down?
 

Lyle29464

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
1,261
Re: Vibration

Might be the prop has sliped. maybe you can check it in the water. you need to turn the prop and watch to see how true it is. If the blades are not running true but the shaft is he hub has sliped. You can make a home made dial indicator. use a clamp or vice grips to fasten a wire to your drive. Bend the wire till it just touches a blade on your prop. then turn prop and see if it is true. You can also bend the wire till it touches the shaft. Now test it the same way.
 
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