95 Sundance 330 - transmission or shaft problem.

B

BVasily

Member
Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
RO Number
18136
Messages
71
This weekend the port transmission (v-drive) appears to have gone. Symptom was a sudden and severe shaking. I came off plane, and the shaking stopped but starts up every time I get over 2000 rpm. Went underwater to check prop and shaft, and all seems fine and I have not hit anything. I rotated both props. Starboard is smooth. The port turns but has an obvious binding feeling to it. I am about to pull the transmission and send it off for rebuild, but thought I would check the forum to see if anyone has similar experience.

Thanks

Bob V.
 
Check cutlass bearing, check coupling, and stuffing box. Also check for anything hung up on shaft or prop. My guess may be something is hung on there given the suddenness (?) of vibration.
 
You should have very little movement side to side and up and down at the strut. Grab the shaft and try to move it.
 
Update. Boat is now out of the water. The port shaft is cracked extensively. I am looking to have a new one made ASAP. Will change cutlass bearing (s) on both shafts, and put rebuilt transmission in port side because I still believe transmission is an issue as its loud turning prop shafts where Starboard is not.

Can anyone tell me if cracked prop shafts are very common? This one was very close to breaking. I could break it off with a little pressure. Fortunate I guess as I did not lose a prop.
 
Bob,

My old marina had a weird way of removing props. They had solid brass or bronze cylinders, about the size of a campbell's soup can. They were threaded and fit on the shaft. They would put that on the shaft and pound with a sledge hammer till the prop was vibrated loose. I couldn't understand why they didn't have a standard prop puller.

Anyway, at a boat show in New England, I stopped by a booth that had an entire display of stupid maintenance items, that didn't turn out well. Sure enough, he had a cracked shaft on display from that same method of removing props.
 
I would worry about a rebuilt tranny, you never know what oart they replace on the tranny to call it rebuilt, most of the time they only replace the "WORN" Part,
just my .02, but if tranny breaks it will cost you more than the differential of new one to remove the rebuilt one to repair
 
I know this is an old thread but just thought i would mention the reason that the Starboard and Port props sound different when you spin them is there is different gearing between the transmisions and one will sound loader then the other...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top