Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

[Martine Brucheau]

Motor shut down immediately , I was going 5 miles , damn sand dunes were out their . I tried starting it, and the engine would not turn over, it cranks but that's it eventually the battery died, even my Costco Charger would not get it going. The propeller had a chunk missing. What could be wrong, A friend of mine said something about taking the outdrive and undoing the bolt or lock nut and looking inside to see if the cuff or , hell i don't remember, he stated that might be whats needed as well as a propeller. why did the engine shut down when i hit, not a hard hit? Thanks

95 Glastron SSV 175

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Yes, you could take the outdrive off to see if you can get the engine started . . . of course you will want to run water into the outdrive's intake duct, if you plan to run it for very long. I think your friend was describing the 'coupler'.

With impacts, it is always good to see if the prop shaft is now bent or if there is other internal damage. You can do that by seeing if you can spin the outdrive and if the end of the prop shaft has the tell-tale 'wobble'.

If you plan on working this issue yourself, better get the manuals for engine and outdrive.

 

[alldodge]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Motor shut down immediately , I was going 5 miles , damn sand dunes were out their . I tried starting it, and the engine would not turn over, it cranks but that's it eventually the battery died, even my Costco Charger would not get it going. The propeller had a chunk missing. What could be wrong, A friend of mine said something about taking the outdrive and undoing the bolt or lock nut and looking inside to see if the cuff or , hell i don't remember, he stated that might be whats needed as well as a propeller. why did the engine shut down when i hit, not a hard hit? Thanks

95 Glastron SSV 175

When the key is turned does the engine turn over? If it does not turn over need to pull the drive.

If the engine does turn over but will not start, start with the basics. Check for 12V at the coil.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Might have just flooded it with the sudden stop. However by continually cranking it you most likely killed the starter. If your lucky it just popped the circuit breaker or the fuse. Remove the spark plugs and try turning the motor manually with the nut on the crankshaft. If it won't turn remove the drive and try again. If it then turns the drive is the problem if not it more serious.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

First post says motor cranked but would not turn over. Does that mean the engine did not turn at all when key was in Start position?

Does your boat have the dead-man lanyard operated safety switch? If so, and the engine did turn but did not start then maybe that switch got jarred some. That would kill power to the ignition but still let the starter crank and other electrical items work.

 

[Martine Brucheau]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Here is what I have done so far, I removed the outer bolt and retaining clamp, Propeller and washer. I'm not sure what I would be looking for now. I let down the transom and some more water came out after I got the above parts off. Not a lot, but the little that was behind all that was removed. Any ideas anyone. I will be taking to the shop, but I like to know how to do things also.

 

[alldodge]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

We are trying to help but you need to help also. Maclin and I both asked for clarification if the engine turns over when you try to crank the engine -------------- Does the engine turn over or not?

 

[Martine Brucheau]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

I have said this in my first post, I can turn the key, get the starting sound, but engine wont turn over, it acts like it wants to, but that's it, had to charge the battery again. no matter what happens, I will be doing a entire sweep through this engine block and transom . amateur or not, I will learn everything about this motor .

 

[alldodge]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

I have said this in my first post, I can turn the key, get the starting sound, but engine wont turn over, it acts like it wants to, but that's it, had to charge the battery again. no matter what happens, I will be doing a entire sweep through this engine block and transom . amateur or not, I will learn everything about this motor .

Looks like you damaged the outdrive: which is my first guess

Pull the outdrive I think it is damaged. If you pull the drive and the engine will turn over it is the outdrive

 

[thumpar]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

When you say it is making the starting sound is the engine crank turning? A lot of people mix up cranking, turning over and firing.

 

[Martine Brucheau]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Reply: to AllDodge

Thank you for this information. I will do this today as today I have a friend military buddies of mine coming to celebrate veterans day. Two are marine mechanics. That shaft thing in the 3 pic where the propeller came off, I was told to move the shifter into gear all the way forward, and if I can turn the spindle (whatever its called) something is wrong with the gear teeth inside, if i can't turn it, than it may be something small. I did this and the spindle or shaft turn counter-clock and not the other way. I heard a grinding sound while turning it. Any ideas?

I'm about to purchase a complete outdrive, but I just want to learn about the motor and whatever else their is to learn. I could flop money down on newer parts all day, but it will teach me nothing about this motor and I love getting my hands dirty.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Reply: to AllDodge

I was told to move the shifter into gear all the way forward, and if I can turn the spindle (whatever its called) something is wrong with the gear teeth inside, if i can't turn it, than it may be something small. I did this and the spindle or shaft turn counter-clock and not the other way. I heard a grinding sound while turning it. Any ideas?

This will tell you a little, but not a lot.... It will tell you if there is something obvious with the gearing in the lower end of the outdrive, but wont tell you if you have a problem in the upper end gearing, or with the coupling of the outdrive to the motor.

With shifter in neutral, the prop shaft (what you called the "spindle) should turn freely in both CCW and CW directions (these directions are with you facing the prop shaft, looking toward the front of the boat from behind the outdrive). When you place the shifter in FWD, turn the prop shaft CW and it should "ratchet" over the clutch/shift dogs, and it should "lock" when you rtry and turn it CCW. Just the opposite when you put the shifter in REV (turn the shaft CCW and it will ratchet, CW and it should lock). This will tell you if the shifter is working and if the prop shaft is free...and at the same time you can check for trueness of the shaft (i.e., is it bent?).

Your best recourse is to take the entire drive off and then start checking to see if the engine will turn over.

Another thing you could have done when it immediately stopped was to have injested water and hydrolocked the engine. You can check this by taking out the spark plugs and seeing if it turns over (and be prepared to see what cylinders the water comes out of).

 

[Martine Brucheau]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

This is great information and thank for the boating jargon, I'm learning. Going to go down and do this now

 

[Martine Brucheau]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Okay update, I followed as KTbarrentine explained. Everything checks out to the T. I followed instructions per stated and was happy it did everything. I don't know if thats a good thing, but I am on my way to youtube to look at videos about " How to take off outdrive, but before I do that, I am about to pull spark plugs and look for water.

 

[thumpar]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Shift to forward. Take of the ram pin at the drive. Take off the 6 nuts from the drive. You probably have a pitot hose so take that off the drive. Pull!!

 

[Martine Brucheau]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

Okay guys, sorry for just getting back. I took out all 4 spark plugs, shined my flashlight into the holes and saw no water. I than took a long metal Q-Tip and put it as far as it could go in the holes and no water. I proceeded to take off the pins and Bolts, and took off the outdrive. I looked into the back of the drive and saw nothing unusual. No stripped gears from what I can see, and no tears inside the rubber part of the drive. i did notice a plastic piece in the pic i'm holding with my hand is floppy, maybe it connected to something before taking the drive off. Need more info guys. how do I go by trying to turn the motor with all this stuff disconnected?

I think I have done what I can, feels good to at least know how to do what I have done so far. but I may be taking it into the shop.

 

[thumpar]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

The pic with the metal thing is the shift slide. The one with the hose looks like the pitot tube. If you put your garden hose in the hole just below and on the starboard side of the bell housing you can try to start the engine. The hole is what is fed by the impeller in the drive.

 

[Martine Brucheau]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

The pic with the metal thing is the shift slide. The one with the hose looks like the pitot tube. If you put your garden hose in the hole just below and on the starboard side of the bell housing you can try to start the engine. The hole is what is fed by the impeller in the drive.

Thanks, but can you come again with that information please? Do you mean the whole to the left of my thumb? and what is this starboard? and how do i get the hose to stay their? should i have a second person hold it?

 

[thumpar]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

On a boat starboard and port is the side directions on a boat. I was wrong with starboard, should have said port. Port is left when facing the front of the boat.

ETA: Yes by your thumb.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Mer Cruiser 3.0 hit a rock or something

You can crank you engine over (if it will) without the water hooked up. Just dont let it run more than a few seconds without water. This will at least let you know that your starter will turn the engine over. (you can put the hose in that hole and keep it there with a piece of wire...that will let you run the engine if you choose to do so.... Or you can get a friend to hold the hose there.

While your drive is off, can you rotate the u-joints CW (the splined shaft that connects to the motor when the drive is installed), (CW while looking at the outdrive from the front)or is it locked up? In neutral, it should turn (although it will have a bit of resistance due to the water pump inside the drive) and the prop will not turn. If you turn your shifter shaft all the way clockwise (to FWD) and hold it there, then when you turn the yoke shaft CW(splined shaft), the prop will turn CW (while looking at the prop from the back...this is the normal direction for forward propulsion). Helps to have your drive in a stand (either an true outdrive stand, or a makeshift stand) to do these checks.

Keep up posted.