Warrranty Question

[Tail_Gunner]

Last year i put a ss prop on a new boat and noticed a slight vibration while turning hard left or right @ low speed's. Six months later it has become pronounced now at high speed's making hard turn's. Iv'e never hit anything but once or twice i have powered off a sand bar in reverse (very breif burst). I am quite sure the drive has a issue and before taking it in or taking it off, it would be intresting to know how a Marina would view this type of issue. I know this is a wear item but the boat only has 50 hour's on it and to me that would seem ot indicate a misalignment or lack of lubrication from the factory.....but that is me.

I had a breif conversation with the service mgr and he seemed to indicate that Volvo had a known issue with bellow's leaking causing water intrusion and thus gimbal issue's... anyone have a ny take's on this..

There is no damage or stike's anywhere on the outdrive or prop.

 

[Don S]

Re: Warrranty Question

What model drive do you have? Do you have a SN for it?

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Warrranty Question

Sorry Don no serial number im at work, it's a 2001 volvo mated to a 4.3 gi and the dive is a sx-m, if a serial no is needed i will provide one.. Umm the boat was lost in storage and is under full new warranty from Wellcraft and Volvo along with a 2+2+4 volvo extended service contract and that has been confirmed and warranty repair's have been done and paid... Crazy huh..

 

[Don S]

Re: Warrranty Question

The SX-M was enough. This may sound like a dumb question, but what color was the engine?

PM me your name, I can look the SN up thru Volvo warranty

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Warrranty Question

It's a black engine, Tbi with Vortec heads and PM sent

 

[Don S]

Re: Warrranty Question

Might want to write this down for future reference

Engine Model 4.3Gi PEFS Year 2000 SN 4012037472
Drive Model number SX-M 1.66:1 ratio SN 4202023361

There are no know problems with leaky bellows on your drive, it was well after the SN break for a problem with leaks due to flashing.
A couple of things I have found on past boats is the couplers being bad (splines slightly off center) and would cause a vibration. Volvo is also have the same problem on the new SX-A drives.
This can be checked by checking the alignment and turning the engine 90, 180 and 270 and rechecking. Should be the same all around.
If you do have water, we had a few that seemed to leak around the grease zirk tube that goes into the gimbal bearing. This is a holdover from the old OMC's and was really a poor design. We cured a couple by pulling the tube out and tapping 1/8" pipe threads in the gimbal housing and putting in a SS grease zirk. No more water in the bellows.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Warrranty Question

Again thank you Don, good luck with your retirement.........umm how long do you think it will stay that way.....

and 270 and rechecking. Should be the same all around.


Umm 270 degree's on the boat????..... Could i be able to to turn the motor on the boat place a level at the top of the casing and then look @ the whole unit being linear in it's turning radius???

 

[Don S]

Re: Warrranty Question

I'm only retiring from working on boats. Knees and back are getting to old for it.
Not sure what I will do yet. But i'll come up with something.

PS, forgot to mention on your drive, whatever they come up with will be warranty. Volvo has never had problems covering problems like that with us.
We just called Volvo when we found the cause, and they have always said fix it, no problem.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Warrranty Question

The drive was 1/8 of a inch out of alignment.....rotating it from left to right i took a chalk line string and held it over the top of the drive, pretty apparent when told what to look for......again nice job and i thank you.

 

[Don S]

Re: Warrranty Question

ON the boat the drive was 1/8 of a inch out of alignment.....Im not sayin to much here, but does a foreman aka no work ........ work ummmm ...work for you..... unless you insist........

Wanna run that by me one more time! Don't have a clue what you meant by all that.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Warrranty Question

Your analysis of my outdrive was correct, i would like to pm you, but i cannot not.

 

[Don S]

Re: Warrranty Question

The PM works now, but why not post it here for others to know what happened.
Feedback is what it's all about. What works, what doesn't.