Prop Gone 67' Merc

[daddylonglegs]

On the lake for a while and I hear a "pop". Engine seems fine, and didn't notice anything funny until I get close to the dock. Had some issues with idling. Then it seemed like it wouldn't go into gear. Once I got the boat on the trailer I noticed the propeller was gone. So now I need to obviously get a new prop and washer and nut, but I wonder if that was what the pop sound was, and also why I was having idling issues, and not going into gear. 1967 mercruiser 4 cyl. Please be nice, this is my first boat.

 

[GA_Boater]

The pop may have been the nut, washer or prop flying off and hitting the AV plate or anode fin. Did you lose drive right after the pop? And is the prop shaft is still there? Have you checked the lower unit lube lately?

 

[steelespike]

Hopefully its not a gear case problem.
If you made it back to the dock it may be right there where yopu put it into neutral or reverse
Hoping not to insult you when you said 67 Mercruiser Did you really mean a Inboard outboard Or is it really a Mercury outboard.
A 67 Mercruiser is a really early I/O.Regardless we'll need to know the displacement and hp, model.

 

[daddylonglegs]

Yes this is really a 1967 Mercruiser Inboard Outboard. It is actually so rare/old that the power tilt is a single line system. That was the first thing i had to fix and had lots of problems finding schematics that match the system. The serial number for the engine is 2036773 Mercruiser Marine. 4 Cyl 120 hp.


On another note, after posting originally, i noticed a 4" slit in the bellows. The rubber tube after the manifold. Again, since this engine is so old im not seing a lot of replacement parts or schematics with this long of a rubber bellows.

 

[Scott Danforth]

my guess is the prop nut is what you heard. then the prop spun off when you shifted to neutral or reverse at the trailer. Its probable within 4 or 5 feet of where the outdrive was at the time.

the slit in the bellows needs to be addressed.