New Mercury Spitfire propeller singing

[Basshouse]

Hi all,

I took over from somebody else a brand new in the box Spitfire 15" propeller and mounted it on my 2002 Mercury 90 Fourstroke. With forward engaged the prop starts to sing loudly like a finger on the rim of a crystal glass. Reluctant to try over 2000 rpm but when I make left or right handed turns the sound disappears. Also no sound in reverse so only in forward gear and in a straight line. Prop is brand new.
I cannot find anything else than this singing is caused from a vortex from the trailing edge of the blades. As this prop is the same as thousands of similar Spitfire props I find it strange that I can not find others with same issue.

Has anyone had experience with an aluminum outboard prop which was singing?
if so what was the solution if any?

I tried to contact Mercury Europe but they do not have an email address and when you call them you can't get through because you must enter an extension otherwise connection is broken. I very much would like to get into contact with Mercury regarding transfer of guarantee / solution in case there is no cure and my prop is brand new but here there is no possibility to contact them.

Any thoughts/advise is much appreciated!

Regards, Jerry

 

[Scott Danforth]

contact Mercury directly in Fondulac Wiscsonsin 920-929-5000 or contact your local authorized mercury dealer

 

[ajgraz]

Are you sure it is installed correctly? Does it have any "play" or "wiggle" that it should not have? Can you post a photo of the installed prop, I am curious which hub kit you are using.

 

[82rude]

.If your prop is singing get it on vid,your a billionaire now,lol.Sorry couldnt resist.Could the singing be that you need a different spacer and right now its rubbing against the gearcase.It happened to me before .I carry 2 spacers on my boat now as both props i use have different spacer requirements.

 

[Basshouse]

contact Mercury directly in Fondulac Wiscsonsin 920-929-5000 or contact your local authorized mercury dealer

I might call them directly in Wisconsin. I do not know if an authorized dealer will help me as I took over the new prop from somebody else.

 

[Basshouse]

No Title

Are you sure it is installed correctly? Does it have any "play" or "wiggle" that it should not have? Can you post a photo of the installed prop, I am curious which hub kit you are using.

Hub kit is an Flo Torq 2 and installed correctly(including thrust washer) No play/ wiggle and prop is also not touching the lower part.

 

[Basshouse]

.If your prop is singing get it on vid,your a billionaire now,lol.Sorry couldnt resist.Could the singing be that you need a different spacer and right now its rubbing against the gearcase.It happened to me before .I carry 2 spacers on my boat now as both props i use have different spacer requirements.

Sorry, no video (have one but mic is not picking up the high pitched sound very well). With spacers you meant the thrust washer? I think if that was rubbing against the gearcase then the sound would be continuously when in fwd gear. With me the sounds stop when making a sharpish turn and appears back when going straight ahead. (all below 2000 rpm)

 

[ajgraz]

.If your prop is singing get it on vid,your a billionaire now,lol.Sorry couldnt resist.Could the singing be that you need a different spacer and right now its rubbing against the gearcase.It happened to me before .I carry 2 spacers on my boat now as both props i use have different spacer requirements.

Hub/spacer fitment is what I was getting at, too...

Here's a diagram I lifted off the web so we're all using the correct part names:



Just last weekend I installed a brand new 4-blade Spitfire prop on my 125 Optimax. It came with a hub kit like this (looks perhaps to be the one the OP is using):




It replaced a 3-blade Black Max prop that was using a hub kit like this:


Well, the thrust washers had the same part number on them, and the drive sleeve adapter from the 3-blade prop did fit into the drive sleeve of the 4-blade prop, so I just went ahead and re-used the adapter, tab washer and locknut from the 3-blade.

HOWEVER, the drive sleeves were not EXACTLY the same; the one with the new 4-blade is "open" at the thrust washer end, while the sleeve already inside the 3-blade is closed at that end. Maybe this should have been a clue...

Took out for a good long ride in various calm, then wind and chop; performed fine, but I was off-and-on getting a sound I'd call a "ringing" sound. If there was a "singing" it was drowned out by the wind whistling through my fishing lines.

Got home, took a closer look, and found that if I pushed on it hard enough, the prop had a little "wobble" at the thrust washer end, and could make contact with the gearcase. I swapped in the (shorter) adapter, tab washer and locknut that came with the 4-blade, and now that "wobble" is completely gone--at least as far I can check "by hand", have not run it this way yet.

I think the (longer) adapter from the 3-blade prop was just a hair too long for the drive sleeve from the 4-blade prop. OP may want to confirm exactly which adapter and sleeve is on his, because when I was searching the net for "Mercury Flo Torq Hub" to pilfer the pics above, I saw all manner of combinations of long and short adapters with both types of tab washer style out there.

 

[Basshouse]

No Title

ajgraz I used the Flo Torq 2 as the one you described that was ultimately the correct one for your 4 bladed prop. Drive sleeve with one open end. Regards, Jerry