Shakedown continues$$$$

[Fighterpilot]

Three trips to the Gulf fishing and problems every time. First trip, burned thru rubber elbow, smoked up air filters. Changed the risers. Next trip fuel clogged the filters on the old fuel tank. Has installed Seaboard's double-double spin on filter system so not a big deal. Last trip saturday lost the stb. tx. Pulled the pump and shaft not turning so going to pull the tx. tomorrow. Any suggestions?? Know have to block the engine since rear mounts use the tx. 3208NA in a 34LRC Californian. Anyone pulled a transmission and have some guidance for me?? Thanks

 

[Fighterpilot]

Update. We got the tx loose and slid aft--exposed the aft end of the engine and the "drive plate" or whatever, compeletly tore up--all the springs in the bottom of the cavity. Have one ordered-should be in tomorrow. At least we didn't have to lift the tx up out of the boat and tear it apart.

 

[Blue Heron]

Good news then right? Eternal Optimism!!

 

[FlyWright]

Yikes, FP. You've had a run of bad luck. I hope the problem is limited to that section and the tables turn soon for you so you can enjoy that beautiful boat!

 

[chc]

FP;
Out of curiosity; what were the failure symptoms? All at once, noisy, etc. I've got one in my Californian that has a lag in shifting response; otherwise seems OK.

 

[Edelweiss]

Update. We got the tx loose and slid aft--exposed the aft end of the engine and the "drive plate" or whatever, compeletly tore up--all the springs in the bottom of the cavity. Have one ordered-should be in tomorrow. At least we didn't have to lift the tx up out of the boat and tear it apart.

===============================

Flex Plate (Damper)

Yikes, I've seen them bent up a bit but never had one come apart like that in a boat. I wonder what caused that?? I take it you confirmed it was the correct one for your engine and Trans. and that somebody didn't substitute a lighter part or an automotive damper at some point?? At least it was a little less complicated than the prospect of a tranny rebuild.

Larry B.

 

[Fighterpilot]

Nothing to me indicated a pending failure. Mechanic indicated it probably started with a spring failure, but took awhile before disintegration and abrupt failure. We got the replacement in today but haven't finishing hooking everything back up. Will splash tomorrow.

We bought the boat in Oct. and fixed, replaced things thru the winter. Noted a slight vibration on that side when standing in the cockpit over the shaft log area during sea trial and subsequent use. Vibration not notice any where else. Have put about 30 hours on it, most of this during the last two months. Had the props "tuned" by accuaprop and this side had a new cutlass in October when we had it surveyed. Hooking the coupler back up today check the alighment on the coupler an noted a business card thickness difference between 12 oclock and 6 oclock buy boat on the hill so not sure what we have. Will recheck with feeler gage after in the water. But the mechanic suggested that the vibration could have been coming from the broken spring and subsequent unbalance of the disc prior to failure. We'll see as we take it home tomorrow if vibration still there.

 

[Fighterpilot]

UPdate. Didn't splash yesterday. Now, not geting voltage to the starters on the old 3208s. Click and try to engage but sufficient voltage not getting thru. I replace the old 8Ds since one had failed and their location on the bulkhead side of the port engine was impossible to do anything with 150 lb batteries. Put in two 6volts in series for house side and two 12 volts in parallel for start. Standard Perko swithch 1,2, and both. Wire on boat was 4/0 and tough to work with, but I bought all new battery terminals as well and used 4/0 wire to connect them up to the exixting boat 4/0. Molten solder in terminal and stuck wire in. Did not crimp.Suspect my negative connections which is to all batteries suddenly is bad. Doubtfull both separate postive wiring system would break down at the same time. Switch could be bad but we took two leads off and vice gripped them together and still click-click.

Back to boat today with load tester, battery and cables to go directly to the first in line starter and see what happens. Why couldn't this have happened in the wintertime instead of the summer Florida heat??

 

[FlyWright]

Did you have a ground cable connected near the tranny where you were working?

 

[skipperdude]

So what is wrong with the tranny. I just pulled mine and know a little about the Twin Disc 506. If that is what you have.

Was it the drive ring or the rubber blocks or something in the tranny itself.

I took a bunch of pics as I worked and can show if needed.


SD

 

[Fotoman]

Why couldn't this have happened in the wintertime instead of the summer Florida heat??

Now come on, that would have taken all the fun out of it!

Sorry to hear about all your problems. It looks like a case of domino effect (one thing breaks then a series of things decide they might as well break).

Hope you get back on track soon.

 

[Fighterpilot]

The saga continues. Turns out wasn't the negative after all, but two different items on the positive side. The positive lead from the start bank is weak and the house batteries were not peak charge and hence didn't want to start the Cats. So the combination of the two items had us fooled. Now, after getting that sorted out we splashed the boat-couldn't get the transmission we had fixed to engage. Thought maybe we had the selector valve in wrong. We had removed it to replace an oil seal. Than decided maybe the oil pump was defective. It pumped but never developed high pressure. Took pump to a shop to order another one and in discussion with a mech. there he suggested we check the selector valve we remove, to see it all parts there. We knew there were springs that stayed down in the cylinder but didn't realize there was a piece of steel shaped like a nail head there as well. We stuck magnet down into it and fished out the springs but not the piece in question. It is called the piston regulator and when the selector valve is removed it has a tendency to come out with it but will fall away if one isn't paying attention. We lost ours when we took the valve to a shop to get a new o ring for it. So now trying to find this tiny part which plays a part in the transmission building up the pressure needed to move the shaft.

 

[Fighterpilot]

Update again. Got the missing part today, installed same and brought the boat home. Reverse on the other transmission is being difficult. Didn't want to engage at first when we left the yard, but finally worked. Ran the boat home, 16knots, hour and a half and than at home dock reverse wouldn't engage again. Don't know where to start on that one.

 

[Blue Heron]

Yikes! Sorry to hear it! Hope it gets worked out soon.

 

[Fighterpilot]

Tx, low on oil, added some and got reverse to engage. Now for the bad news--Checking the oil strainer found the oil to be black and burnt smell. This was fresh oil about 16 hours ago and find it hard to believe the failure to engage in reverse a few tries did the damage. We ran it three times to the Gulf and back for about 16 hours of use at 2300rpm and had no problems with this tx. until the failure to go into reverse last week. Now it will engage and the pressure is good, 300psi, albeit at the bottom of the acceptable range. (300-350psi). What do I do? Run it?? Don't know if it is going to continue to degrade or not. Check this oil after a few hours and see if it is burnt? Is the oil that is burnt? Overheated? Or some rubber rings etc.??

 

[Edelweiss]

Hey fighterpilot!!

What's the word on your Transmission? Did you get it all sorted out?
LB

 

[Nomad Willy]

FP,
Sounds like you've got an older boat. Probably a bit like the 49' DeFever John posted on another thread for $119K
Also sounds like the engines in your boat have been doing a lot of idling as in fishing. Lots of low speed running is frequently very bad for Damper Plates. Hate to say this but replacing the other engines plate probably would avoid another "event".

 

[Fighterpilot]

UPdate. WE haven't been out since we changed the oil in the other transmission. When we go we are going to photo tac the engine and the shaft to see if we can detect slippage. Also going to monitor the temps on the transmission for comparison with a laser thermometer as we run. I am not very confident it was just the low oil level. Son-in-law has a shrimp boat and that has been giving him problems so been spending time with that, plus we have had rain, thunder, and lightning every day. Thanks for your interest.

 

[Blue Heron]

Fighter,
Yea I hear you, seems like it has done nothing but rain since Memorial Day. Sucks!

Hopefully you'll get her fixed soon.