need help figuring out what's wrong with my drive(grumble when turning)

[monster1]

No. Its not the gimble bearing. I wish it was as it would be an easy fix. Over the last few years, my drive would grumble and boat vibrate in turns. In hard turns, it would knock. I'd have the drive serviced and they wouldn't find anything wrong. Last year during routine gimbal check, they think they found the problem. They changed out the driveline saying the u joints were the culprit because the gimbal bearing was fine. They put it back together and ran it on the muffs and said it was fixed. I hadn't taken the boat out since the repair until several weeks ago. I ran the boat and the grumble/ vibration was still there. I called another shop from the water and they told me to bring it in. I took them the boat and they ran it on the muffs and found some noise. They greased the hell out if the gimble bearing and said it quieted down a lot. Bingo! They changed the bearing and put the drive back on. They ran it and now the noise is still there! They have chaulked it up to normal noise in a Volvo drive. They are a merc dealer. They even went so far as to swap another drive onto my boat and they said it was even more noisy. They checked all specs and tolerances. Changed the gear oil. Nothing out of the ordinary popped up. They can't find anything wrong and told me just to run the boat. I took it out and drove it and it seemed just as bad as when I brought it to them if not slightly worse. I took it back and told them to go over it again. That much noise can't be normal. I asked if they aligned the engine and they said they only do that if the drive won't go back on smoothly? Does this sound right? They said all parts look new and there was no sign of water. Any insight from you guys would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[Augoose]

Sorry you are not finding any solutions over at the other forum. There are some pretty sharp VP guys here so I'm sure you'll get some guidance.
Next time you are on muffs what about taking a short video of the sound you are running into?

You also mentioned on the other thread that the shops told you, regarding the alignment, that if the drive slides in fine then the alignment is also good. That doesn't sound quite right to me as verifying the alignment is one of the required steps stated in the VP manual while reinstalling drive. IMO, just because the driveshaft doesn't bind doesn't mean the alignment is good - especially considering you are having problems that the shops can't seem to fix.

 

[monster1]

Thanks again for responding. I don't know what sound the drive is making on the muffs. I haven't run the drive that way. I think I need to hear what they are listening to and vice versa. I strongly feel not actually aligning the engine with the drive is part of the problem. Possibly a loose transom shield? Hell, maybe it could be a bad cavitation issue with the prop I have on it now. I don't know. I've never owed any other boat to reference. Too bad boats aren't cars otherwise I'd personally have this thing fixed now.

 

[Augoose]

I was thinking a problem with the prop but since it made the noise on the muffs, that rules the prop out. Give your question a day or two to sink in with some of the guys here and they'll come up with some advice. The forum here is a bit slower as there are not as many people in and out of the threads, but the info is absolutely top notch.

 

[tpenfield]

I'd be checking alignment and the coupler, base on what you described.

 

[jerryjerry05]

No such thing as "normal noise from a Volvo" Sounds like BS to me.
If the u-joint were installed right and the gimbal was installed right.
Then no noise is the only acceptable noise.

Did the drive give any trouble coming off or going back on?NO

Then maybe the coupler on the flywheel is the problem?
Drop the drive and get a flashlight.
Hook it to water somehow.
Then look up in the driveshaft hole as the motors running.
This will tell if the coupler is out of alignment.(grasping at straws)

 

[monster1]

Well, I've had two different shops and a Volvo rep tell me that my drive is just noisy. I've got no water intrusion, my old parts looked just like the new ones, etc. They all tolde the only thing to do at this point is run it and enjoy it and at next years spring service they'd check everything again for wear. They don't think there will be any though because they can't find anything currently. I guess I'll take their advice.