Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

[Jynxs boat]

O.k. o.k. I diddn't want to ask for help, but I feel like I'm about to get into some deep doo doo if I don't.
I'll start by telling you I bought an 82 beachcraft with a 2.3L omc motor, and the original stern 982740. When I got it it didn't run, lights diddn't work, ignition wouldn't turn, sump pump wasn't hooked up, speedometer diddn't work, and the tilt wouldn't tilt. This was two weeks ago. So far, I got the motor running, the lights workin, the ignition, and sump pump all workin well. Tilt is ok, I gotta figit with the switch but it drops eventually. Speedometer still a no go.
Heres where I'm at now. I got it the water, dropped the prop, and slowly brought it up to speed, and arrived at a fishing hole catching some nice rainbows.(4lbs) Well I thought I'd head back, started her up, and put it gear.
I got about 40 feet, and thought I would open her up a bit, and as soon as I did, I heard a winding sound, and I noticed alot of splasing at the top of the sterndrive, no spin on the propeller.........luckily two girls in bikini tops towed me in. embarrassing but fun.....
When I got it in the garage I orginally thought I had a problem with my lower, so I took it all apart, and notice the gear that connects to the clutch wasn't engaged at all, so I thought thats why my propeller wasn't spinning. I fixed that and the linkage is perfect, and the propeller spins when I put it gears. I thought I had it all figured out.... I went back to the lake again today, got it in the water, dropped the prop, started right up, but I got the same winding sound and no spin on the prop. As soon as heard it I thought crap it wasn't the lower its the drive shaft in the stern from the motor. Someone please tell me I'm wrong, and that I missing something small. I'm gonna get back at that thing in the morning.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

could it be the rubber prop center?and the drive is just spinning in the prop
put a mark on the hub and the hub nut,startit up,on muffs of course and then shut it off if the madks don't line up THERE'S your problem!!
the prop hub is shot

woosterken

 

[Jynxs boat]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

Good idea, I'll go check that right now.

 

[Jynxs boat]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

Nope its not that, I marked both nuts, the one from the prop side and the one on the stern, and they're both dead on the mark. I notice though this time that the winding sound seemed to be more towards the motor. Any other ideas?

 

[sccheech9]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

Are you sure that it is being thrown into gear? I know my boat has an electromagnet that throws it into forward or reverse and the same thing happened to me. My boat just stopped. It turned out to be a wire got loose. When you put it into forward/reverse it throws 12v down to this magneto and throws the gear into place.

 

[Jynxs boat]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

If the wire is in the motor compartment maybe, but I don't think thats it. I'll double check though. So far I got the upper and the lower off all at once to check the main drive shaft. When I unscrewed the drain screw a "little bit" of milky green fluid came out, along with some water. The rubber seal on the hub was non exhistant, and the rubber bushing had a a little damage on it. The same green fluid trickles a little bit under the motor too.
the drive shaft (I think thats what its called) spins freely, but at the same time kinda grinds when I turn it. Should it be doing that? Do I have to pull the motor to get it out?

 

[Jynxs boat]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

I checked the manual, I believe the seloc, and it says it should pull right out.....not happinin. Getting frustrated on this one.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

you found water and milky green oil THATS BAD,the milky is water mixed with the oil
you say "a little bit" of oil,my merc took 2 1/2 qts.to refill
there should be SMOOTH movement in the shaft
did it come out with the out drive? it should just be splined to the motor,could just be rusted in.

woosterken

 

[cr2k]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

A little water in the drive oil is kinda normal for the OMC stringer mounts. If it's not excessive, just change it when it get real milky. The thing you said about thrashing water by the top of the drive makes wonder about the ball gears.
These are the gears the connect the drive to the drive shaft that comes out the back of the boat. If they go you don't. They are said to still be "good" with up to 2/3 worn away. Other options is the engine coupler, like a rubber prop hub but bolted to the flywheel.

To remove the drive shaft from the back of the boat you need to drain the intermediate housing and pull the 4 bolts behind the forward ball gear.

 

[Jynxs boat]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

thanx guys, There was just a little water in there, I wanna say about 5 tablespoons if that. I got the 4 bolts out from behind the ball joints, which are still in good condition. I guess I just need to work the shaft out of there. If there is a rubber prop hub attached to the flywheel that went bad, do I need to pull the motor to get to it? Or can I do in the boat....I have a small two car garage, and the motor mounts look pretty bad. rusty. whomever had the boat before me musta done a quick fix, and heres why.
1) the things broken
2) I noticed that one of the flathead bolts that go on the side of the water flush plate, or bracket, came from the was on the clutch housing.
3) when I bought the boat the guy said not to "get on it" and that I should only go slow.
Well I got on it a little, and this happend. So I wanna fix it right. I have the patients, and most of the tools I need, so my questions are this.
1) how do I check if the rubber hub is toast? and how do i get to it?
2) Do I need to pull this motor?
3) Is there an electrical wire that controls the drive shaft? Or is it mechanical when I shift.... I did notice two sets of wires on the throttle adjustment plate behind the motor. A set of blues, and another set I can't remember off the top of my head.

I got a seloc pdf manual from this site, and its semi helpful...because its shows how to take the stuff apart sorta. So I ordered a clymer manual for a back up...So far I'm still stumped by the winding sound coming from the bottom of the motor. Seemed like it's gotta be something at the end of that driveshaft. cause I can turn that ball joint by hand no matter what gear I'm in with the propeller ball joint not attached.

 

[wire knot]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

Sounds like what happened to me in nov.
Try to put in gear
If it goes in gear and the prop spins you have prob stripped the splines on the inter med. drive shaft
Thats what happened to me.

Hope its not that for you

 

[Jynxs boat]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

It goes in gear, and the prop spins...I'm trying to figure out how to get the driveshaft out. thanx

 

[wire knot]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

It goes in gear, and the prop spins...I'm trying to figure out how to get the driveshaft out. thanx

If its like mine the inner splines on the shaft stripped and the outer
splines on the coupler.

Took some rotating to get the DS out.
Keep rotating it back and forth till you find the grove.

It was stuck ,then all of a sudden it released.

Good Luck

 

[Jynxs boat]

Re: Diddn't want to ask, but......driveshaft?

Thanx, I'll try messing with it some more. Makes sense since you put it that way.