Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

[int76]

Well I just recently purchased a 99 Glastron with a Volvo Penta 5.0GL and SX outdrive from my buddy's grandma who only put 99 hrs on it. The boat is in mint condition and was dry docked at the marina all its life. I had it checked out at a local boat dealer before purchasing it and all was said to be ok. It had not been summerized yet so I went ahead and changed the plugs, oil and filter once I got it. Ran it in the driveway and all seemed well and great. So I take it out to the lake for the first time and it starts/runs great and has tons of power but I here this ticking kind of clacking noise as I accelerate. I put it in neutral and rev the engine up manually and all sounds crisp and clean, but once in drive it makes the noise, starting quite and increasing as the rpm/speed increases almost like a bad u joint on a car driveshaft. From what I can tell I tracked the noise to be coming right behind the motor where it connects to the outdrive I guess it is. Im totally new to the boat thing and not sure what Im looking at problem wise here but any info would be appreciated. Im not sure why this wasnt caught by the dealer but I willl be calling them as well to see what is going on. Thanks - Josh

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

Probably time to pull the outdrive and check the ujoints. They can sound fine until a load is put on them. Does the sound change when you turn left and right?
When it was checked out, was the outdrive pulled off and the alignment checked, the bellows checked for water, and the coupler splines lubed?

 

[int76]

Re: Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

Probably time to pull the outdrive and check the ujoints. They can sound fine until a load is put on them. Does the sound change when you turn left and right?
When it was checked out, was the outdrive pulled off and the alignment checked, the bellows checked for water, and the coupler splines lubed?

Im not exactly sure what all was checked and how thorough it was checked, but on the report back everything checked out good and the only comment on the work order was bellows slightly worn but not leaking. I did not notice a sound difference between turning left and right nor did I think to listen for it, would this help pinpoint a problem if I did check this out? I saw in another thread with pics of a guy pulling an sx outdrive, is it something somebody well mechanically inclined can handle or should a boat specific mechanic handle the job?

Also what would the effects be if I continued to run the boat this way? Would it cause further damage to other components? The boat runs great as is but just generates that noise on accelleration.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

Also what would the effects be if I continued to run the boat this way? Would it cause further damage to other components? The boat runs great as is but just generates that noise on accelleration.

Ayuh,... If it's the U-joints, the noise will be stronger when turned full port or starboard...
It's also possible, that if it's ONLY apparent when Accelerating, it could be Detonation...

If it's the U-joints, it'll get worse, til 1 breaks, possibly sinking the boat....
If it's Detonation,... It'll do it a short time, then you'll have a heavy Anchor instead of a Motor...

 

[tkrfxr]

Re: Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

Noises from the boat's engine or drive are like cockroaches: you must chase them down and squash them!

You have the good instinct to listen and notice something is wrong. Keep at it until you fix it, before it causes damage.

I would start with the u-joint, which I had rust on me several years ago. The bellows was eroded and there was clicking on load. The gimbal bearing was toast too. Make sure this is checked out definitively, even if it takes a bellows replacement to get it out of the picture. If that does not solve it, get after the engine.

The job may take more than one person to troubleshoot. Get some friends or a mechanic to help listen to the problem...

-Good luck!

 

[int76]

Re: Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

Im no engine expert, but from what I can tell by reving it up in neutral (by hand at the carb throttle cable) the engine sounds/runs smooth all through the rpm range. I know with a load on it it could indeed generate a different noise and put stress on the motor but I do believe Im leaning toward the u-joints being the culprit as the grease zirk on the unit seems to be dry and definitely not lubed recently/if ever. Also while inspecting the bellows I saw that the lower boot had some holes in it along the top side where it sort of meets with the upper one. The "holes" were all the exact same width/length and seemed too precise to be worn but I was not sure if that is how they are supposed to be or they were indeed worn through. Another question I had is I took my prop today to be slightly straitened and repitched, but I want to test out the in gear turn the wheel theory to check and see if the noise increases but can I safely do that with no prop on there? If not ill wait till I get it back friday and test it then. Also can I do this in the driveway on the hose or does it need to be in the water so the boat has resistance from the water when turning?

 

[int76]

Re: Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

Well didn't feel like waiting on the prop to get done and went ahead and started to pull the sterndrive. It all came apart very easy and was not correded at all. I started with draining the lower unit oil and suprise suprise it was milky. Well I got it all off and the u-joint closest to the prop side seemed a hair loose so I greased it and once I did it felt tighter (dont know if its possible that it being bone dry would make it lose?) I then began examining the bellows and the top one seemed in great shape but the bottom I couldnt tell if it was supposed to be beveled out like this or not??? I could see some water in the bellows, could this possible be from these holes and be the cause of the drive oil being milky?

Also when I first got it seperated off the 6 bolts these piece fell to the ground and I could not see anywhere it was supposed to go? Did this piece get knocked off somewhere or where does it go?!?

Here is how the u-joints look, no rust/corrosion and seem fairly new in my opinion

Also was curious what this little flapper looking piece was and if it is supposed to be there? (was in lower bellow hole)

Sorry for the long post but like I said im mechanically inclined but dont know much at all about boats and how they work. Now that this is off is there any way to tell if its the u-joints are bad or possibly the coupler thing on the motor side?!? Im sure a picture cannot tell but what kind of shape does the gimbal bearing look to be in?

Thanks in advance for the help...

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Volvo Penta 5.0Gl / LX tick/clack noise with acceleration

The U-Joints should move around freely with no binding. If they are binding it means they have rust in them and need to be replaced $23 eBay. If I remember right the bellow you show is the exhuast bellow and it is normal for the slots in it. The parts that fell out almost look like exhaust flappers? The gimble bearing turn it around a few times and check for roughness and clean it all up.

Personally I would go ahead and replace the UJ and gimble bearing since you do not know the history on them. Also I would do a full tuneup including checking the timing. Just read the manual completely and make sure you are using the recommended plugs and gap and make sure things are not missing as my boat when I bought it was missing a lot too long to list.