Propeller Clutch - Maxum Boat Owners Club

Matangolas · 02-11-2008, 02:32 AM

I am a new boater that recently puchased a 2000 Maxum 2700 SCR. The boat has a proported 130 hours on it. I must state that although I am relativly familiar with automobiles I know very little if anything about boat mechanics.
On the last trip out I heard a funny clunk noise emanate from the engine hold accompanied by a vibration that whas not there before. Bear in mind this was only the third time I had taken the boat out so I am not "in tune" with the boat and its normal operating sounds and performance. The vibration and noise disappeared as soon as I applied more throttle and did not reappear.
I took the boat out today and noticed that at any given RPM the boat was not travelling at a speed that I felt was appropriate. In other words I should have been travelling much faster for any given RPM. The engine sounds and runs great just no speed.
When I got home I checked the survey report I had done prior to buying the boat to confirm if my "seat of the pants observation" had any merit and it appears as if there is a problem. At 3000 RPM during the survey we were travelling at roughly 23 MPH now I am lucky to get 10.
I called a friend that has a friend that once owned a marina and knows boats and his response without seeing the boat was that the propeller clutch was bad or going bad. Does this make sense? I'm so ignorant about boat mechanicals that I didn't even know there was a clutch.
My two other questions are: Can I accomplish the repair myself? I am very mechaically inclined especially if I have some sort of manuel to refer to. The other is how much should a repair of this sort cost if I have done professionally.
Thank you in advance for your input. It is very much appreciated.

seapuppy · 02-11-2008, 02:57 AM

welcome to the zoo...I might be able to help you more if I knew what engine/drive combo you have....ie...454 with a b2 drive or big block with a b3 drive (counter rotating props)....you definitely should be moving alot faster...but on one note..you don't have a clutch on the outdrive....if anything...my mind tends to think you spun a hub on the prop...meaning the rubber part in the middle of the prop spun and won't spin up to the rpm needed to move the boat.....
feel free to contact me via email and we can talk more about what is going on...also ...where are you boating at ?.....lake....sound..bay...salt..fresh...etc...giv e me an idea where your at...
the other big suggestion I implore you to do is take a boating safety course by either the coast guard...the CG aux. or boat US.......that will give you alot of boating knowledge for the money....

Steve

Matangolas · 02-11-2008, 03:50 AM

Sorry for the incomplete info. I have a 7.4 bigblock single with the B3 outdrive. The boat is located and used at Marco Island FL.
I have taken two online couses, one by the USCG and the other by Bennet Marine. Very basic stuff but no mechanical info.
I browsed through some older posts on this website and found a reference to this "spun prop". This sounds exactly like the problem I am having.
What is involved in removing the prop? Is it just removing the large retaining nut? Is the engine compression enough the keep the motor from turning while removing the nut?
Thanks again.

seapuppy · 02-11-2008, 04:30 AM

Hi Mantagolas

ok..so now we know what to look for...you need to get a big assed b3 nut wrench....then put a 2x4 chunk of wood between the inner prop and the cavitation plate.....call your local prop shop and see if they know the torque settings...(sorry..mine are on the boat and it's in the shop for a bunch of stupid things I did)...anyway...when you pull the props..take them both to a local prop shop and have them re-hubbed..balanced..and cleaned up if needed...it will cost a couple hundred bucks but that's what it's going to take...finally when you put the props back on ..the inner prop should have one blade in the 12 oclock position...the outer prop should have it's blade in the 6 oclock position.....torque the inner/outer prop nuts to spec......

let us know how it goes....

Matangolas · 02-11-2008, 09:27 AM

Got it. Sounds pretty straight forward. Many thanks for all of help and info. I will definitely be back with a progress report. Looks as if I know what I'll be doing on Wednesday (my day off)

Matangolas · 02-11-2008, 11:29 AM

One more quick question. I'm assuming that there is a seal on the propshaft that prevents leakage of oil. I don't have to drain the lower unit do I? I will be working from an inflatable kayak as the boat is stored on a lift and I have no trailer. The last thing I want to do is create on oil slick!
Have a great day.

Brit Rider · 02-11-2008, 01:56 PM

Don't worry about that, the drive is totally sealed. All you are doing is removing the props from their shafts. Its pretty straight forward but if the nut has seized a bit then you can expect some sore knuckles and frustration... It might be an idea to take a can of WD40 with you. And also, whilst your working on the drives give them a good wipe over and clean up if required.

Matangolas · 02-12-2008, 10:41 AM

Thanks to all for your advice. Going to tackle job tomorrow. I understand that an 1 1/8 socket will pull the nut as opposed to spending 80+ dollars for the mercury prop wrench. If anybody knows otherwise please post a comment.
I'll be back with an update for those who are interested tomorrow evening.
Loving my new (used) boat and the recreational opportunities it provides my family.

seapuppy · 02-12-2008, 04:23 PM

take a couple of wrenches...it starts at 1 1/8th and goes up I think for the inner nut........I don't have the breakdown here at the house..but you can call the local boat shop and ask what are the sizes of the nuts.....

good luck and let us know how it goes...

Matangolas · 02-14-2008, 12:11 PM

Sorry but the weather did not cooperate yesterday. Very cold and rainy. Will try again on Sun. my next day off.

zt260 · 02-14-2008, 04:55 PM

Might be worth buying the manuals they come in very useful :wink:

Matangolas · 02-17-2008, 10:22 PM

Hello Again All,
Once again I'm going to have to suck it up and admit to my ignorance with respect to my boat mechanicals. I got under the boat today and got the props off. UH I don't get it. There does not seem to be anything to repair! I removed the first nut with an inch and a half socket (slightly too big) no problem. Off came the outer prop. So far so good. I then grabbed the next retaining nut with the biggest set of channellocks one can buy and spun that off. Off comes the inner prop no problem. So now what? I have two props that are basically two hunks of cast metal with no other parts. Each is a 3 bladed prop on the outside with a splined innner that mates to what I call the propshaft. What's to repair?
Do I have to dig further into the unit? The next obvious part to remove would be what appears to be a tapered bronze bushing that seems to be a press fit that locates the outer prop. If this is the next move do I just pry it off with a screwdriver or do I need a puller? What would follow that? In other words what part or parts am I trying to remove and have rebuilt in the end?
Thanks again for your assistance.

Matangolas · 02-17-2008, 11:15 PM

Oh and as a sidenote I've just ordered the Clymer manual, the appropriate Seloc manual and the mercury wrench that fits the BIG retaining nut that holds the inner prop to the shaft. I'm sure that they will come in useful in the future. I'm now $125, not including time, into this project on a DIY basis and refuse to give up now!

seapuppy · 02-18-2008, 01:07 AM

do not pry that thrust bushing off.......that should look ok for you and don't need to be removed....
finally with both props off the prop shafts.......take them to the local prop shop and have then rebuild it...what has probably happened is that the hubs have spun and although they look ok...they are probably not...they will know how to press the hubs out and replace them....
get a tube water resistant shaft grease and slather that onto the shaft before you put the props back on....they should be properly torqued....

let us know how it goes...

Matangolas · 02-18-2008, 02:13 AM

Will do. So what you are saying is that what I percieve to be one piece is actually two? I don't have the props here to examine them (they are at the boat). The inner splined portion, the hub, is pressed into the outer part that is the three bladed prop itself?

seapuppy · 02-18-2008, 02:45 AM

I'd say that there are 3 pieces ..prop, hub and bushing...

Matangolas · 02-18-2008, 04:44 AM

Well I think there is something wrong then. Maybe I'm confused but what I've pulled off the boat so far is two propellers. There doesn't appear to be any hub or bushings attached to either prop. I just got back from driving down to the boat to retrieve the props so that I might take a look at them after your last post. I cleaned a bunch of very thick gooey grease off and I'm sorry but it just seems to be one solid piece of material. Is it possible that when I pulled the props off the hubs remained attached to the propeller drive shaft? The only thing wrong with that theory is that there are definitely splines on the interior of the item I removed that mate to splines on the shaft. If the press fit between the two uses splines then it would make sense, but most items I've seen pressed together use a smooth surface. At this point I need to take them into the shop anyway so hopefully they will be open tomorrow and I can show them what I have and see what their response is. Maybe I'm just going blind or becoming senile. I will let you know what their response is. :?

seapuppy · 02-18-2008, 06:02 AM

well...I guess it depends on the model of props...mine has the prop...hub...and I think there is the rubber part...unless the rubber is all the hub there....so it would be prop and hub..the rubber part...so..take it to the prop shop....they will tell you if there are any deformaties to the hub...if so...I think that is your problem.....
let us know what happens...

Matangolas · 02-18-2008, 10:08 AM

Like I said I hope they are open today with it being a holiday and all. I certainly see absolutely no evidence of a rubber part either on the props or on the prop shaft itself. Regardless I appreciate all the help you have given me. I will certainly keep you abreast of what happens from here on out. The model and make is year 2000 Mercruiser Bravo 3 outdrive with the counter-roatating props. As soon as I receive the manuals I ordered I can reference them for further clairfication. Should be here in 3-4 days. By the way I could not find any schematics of the outdrive on the web anywhere. Thanks again and I'll be back soon.

Matangolas · 02-18-2008, 11:27 AM

If you go to ebay and access item #190198381354 you can see a picture of what my props look like. Hopefully this will provide you with the insight to clear things up for me. My props look exactly like these. Thanks.