TomZ

iTrader: (2)

Posted on BoaterEd.com as well....

This evening while heading out to the ocean-front for a short cruise via Rudee Inlet, I ended up tearing up something in my Alpha One. We were cruising across the swells and starting to get a little air as some of the swells ended up being quite bigger than expected. We got into a calmer cycle and I started to put the coals to it a little more, and then I started to hear a clicking sound... very loud as I could hear it over the exhaust (and feel it in the floor), definitely not a knock... almost like the sound you might hear if spinning the prop backwards while in gear. As soon as I heard it I came off plane and went to inspect. At idle the sound was definitely there, but not as loud as while underway. We were probably about two miles from the inlet so I decided to head back to the dock... very carefully and with enough power to maintain steerage. Not a particularly fun thing to do while out in the ocean. I think I got about a mile (and thank God it happened then and not in the inlet) and the all of a sudden there was a metallic crash that felt like a sledge hammer being knocked against the floor and then no power... free wheeling. My first reaction was to run back to the engine compartment to make sure that we were not taking on water through a blown out bellows or broken ddrive. All was intact. At that point it was time to put my TowBoat U.S. unlimited plan to good use... got towed in by a really good guy who even complemented me on having such a nice old boat!

Here is what I know so far...

a) I can put the lower unit in gear and the prop will lock in forward but will not in reverse (itmay have always been like that... slightly out of adjustment... can't remember).

b) Removing the incloming water hose and test running the engine produces not a drop of water. That tells me that the gearset is not turning.

c) The drive is completely intact. No broken pieces, etc.

d) The driveshaft and coupler spins but there is no movement at all from the drive, and the only thing that will move the properller is the water current.

I think that I broke a u-joint or driveshaft, and that when it let go it was turning such a low RPM that it kept the bellows from being holed. The sound was just like the sound I've heard with cars when a u-joint was about to come a part. Unfortunately, I have no experience though with the internals of outdrives so I could be way off base.

I have insurance through BOAT U.S. and I believe that mechanical damage is covered up to something like ten or fifteen percent of the boat's insured value. Anyone have experience in this area?

Need help from the outdrive-wise.

mmwalters

Tom my bet would be that you broke the upper gear set. Pull the top cap off and see. Also drain the gear oil, that will tell you what you need to know. If it is black and smell burnt you have trouble inside the drive.

TomZ

iTrader: (2)

Pulled the cap (before the reply... couldn't wait even though it was like 2:45 AM!) and found a couple shavings in the cap. I drained the oil real quick and then found what I was afraid I was going to find.... broken gears. It looks like the gear coming off the driveshaft lost a tooth and it was dancing around inside the housing until it lodged itself between the two gears. I couldn't really see it too well, but none the less, it's fubar.

Before I say anything else let me say this... I have been pushing quite a great deal of power through the drive, but I've been very careful with being nice to it. I don't do holeshots and I don't try to get a lot air with it while running it. This time was just one of those things I guess. Let me ask this... Would it be more likely that this drive is just plain old and used up and that the gear failure was just one of those things that happen when the boat left the water or is this going to be an ongoing issue with the drive? I really do baby it.

Now for the good part... depending on my insurance situation.... how hard is it to rebuild one of these things? Is this something that can be fixed by someone who has never taken one apart before (but is very mechanically inclined) or should I just look at getting a new drive (lot's of money!)?

Waterfoul

Send it to Mr. Gadgets. He re-builds drives at a rate less than what you are going to find anywhere else. I've known Dick quite a long time and I'd let him re-build my drive anytime.

TomZ

iTrader: (2)

I've been running a 1.5 gearset behind my 383. Would dropping down to a 1.32 ratio be a better thing to do for the drive? What would I need to do as far as changes are concerned to the prop, drive, etc. if I were to change to 1.32 gears?

Thanks!

wwwTOPDJcom

Also give Chris a call at www.sterndrivespec.com