nitemare38
Cadet
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2010
- Messages
- 7
We have bought a 2001 Suntracker party deck 21ft 4.3L Mercruiser stern drive and welove it except for one problem. In the 6 weeks we have had it we have had to replace the rubber engine coupling 3 times. At over $1000 this is the last time we are doing it unless we find the root cause. We only run the boat at 2800 RPM or less. Each time it has burnt up the coupling we have been in a straight line in 25ft+ of water. This is the 2nd mechanic, and I really trust him and he is sworn to not stop investigating until we get a root cause. Each time it happens we are running about 26mph and less than 3k on the tach. It just jumps up in RPM and smells like a burnt clutch. Then we get towed back and look and the clutch is disintegrated. It is my opinion that something in the mercruiser stern drive is "in a bind" and putting too much pressure on the rubber clutch. FYI, this boat was only put in the water 6 or 7 times by the previous owner, a 70 yr old man. Engine looks pristine and purrs like a kitten, no vibration at all, until the moment that the clutch explodes. Please if anybody has any ideas, we are not going to run it again until we find the issue.