Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

[butteco]

Okay, <br /><br />85HP Outboard on 16.5' fiberglass runabout. <br /><br />So I finally got the balls to jump in the FREEZING lake because I had been dying to water ski behind my boat ever since I bought it - so I jump in and trust my boss to drive the boat and pull me around the lake. I must have told him 1000 times to WATCH OUT FOR WOOD as we have a lot of little pieces of wood floating in the lake as a result of unusually high water levels. In any event, not more than 10mins into my run the motor just shut off. My boss tried to fire it back up but it just "CLICKED" and didn't even turn over... I told him not to touch anything and got back up to the boat. <br /><br />I thought I ran out of gas but then my boss said he heard a noise before it shut off so I immediatley think - great he hit a piece of wood. So I pull up the motor and sure enough a 2" diameter, 2' long log is wedged/sliced on the prop and up against the lower unit. THE PROP WON'T SPIN becaue it is bound by the log. Can't spin it forward can't spin it backwards to get the log out, the prop had sliced in the log about 1" and it wasn't budging, I finally got back in the lake and pulled it out sideways. <br /><br />Okay so after the stick was out, the prop would STILL not spin freely when in neutral. Not knowing what to do and 2mi away from anybody, I tried to start it up against my better judgement. It fired right up and I was on my way. The log, even though it wedged and stalled the motor, didn't even dent or bend the prop - I guess I got lucky on that - BUT - Stalling the motor out like that at about 10mph, did that hurt anything? <br /><br />The motor ran fine the rest of the day... I just want to know if I should check/do anything to prevent any damage that may have been done???? I may just be worrying to much, someone on this board told me that the 85HP Evinrudes are bullet-proof, but it just seemed pretty serious at the time. <br /><br /><br />THANKS IN ADVANCE AS ALWAYS!!!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

Amazing.<br />I think the motor is shot, I mean I would tell my boss the motor is shot. <br /><br />Maybe he will give you a raise.

 

[butteco]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

well obviously it isn't broken because it drove around the lake the rest of the afternoon, but I am worried because it did stall again at 1400 RPM idling out of the marina on the way back to the ramp. I just want to know if there is anything I should check???

 

[bossee]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

I would chek that that prop shaft is straight.<br />If You do not notice any different vibrations then before it is probably OK. One easy test could be you take the boat out of the water on a trailer and take the prop off. Attach water muffs and on water intakes on lower unit and good water presure in water house. Forward gear and rev a little. Watch the prop shaft if it stay centered or if it starts to do a larger circle. You maybe can hold a pice of wood near the shaft to see if it stay same distance to it as you rev a little.<br /><br />A bent shaft, even a little, will in the long run be bad for the bearings in lower unit.

 

[butteco]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

How can I remove the prop? I have never done that before... <br /><br />Also - what should I do if the prop shaft is bent???

 

[roscoe]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

Even a slightly bent prop shaft can cause major damage over time. We're talking thousandths of an inch. A shop will have a gauge that will be able to measure it. Called a run out test I believe.<br /><br />If prop shaft is bent bad enough, it will need to be replaced.<br /><br />REMOVING THE PROP will depend on the age of your motor, generally, remove cotter pin, nut, washer, pull prop off.<br /><br />To reinstall, first grease the prop shaft, then re-assemble, using a new cotter pin.

 

[butteco]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

Not sure if this is related or not because I don't remember it making this noise before, but when I go out and spin the prop when the shifter is in Neutral, I hear a ticking noise, 1 tick per revolution of prop... Doesn't sound bad, just makes a ticking noise... Might have done it before the accident... <br /><br />I want to get the prop off and fire it up and look at the shaft and see if I can visually see anything. I figured that much out (taking off the cotter pin, nut etc...) but how do you get the nut off... I put a wrench on it and the shaft AND nut just spin and spin... Do I put the motor in gear or something to lock the shaft in place??? <br /><br />ALSO, what do I torque the nut back down to???

 

[scotty c]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

you have to brace the prop so that you can back<br />the nut off.<br />use a chunk of 2x4 or something similar<br />the ticking noise will go away if you shift<br />into fwd or rev a couple times and then back to<br />neutral.<br /><br />try it, and let us know

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

I think a 2" diameter, 2' long log will work nicely.<br /><br />Sorry butteco, I couldn't resist.. <br /><br />Good luck!

 

[scotty c]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

thats right, do you think you could find the<br />same log in that lake again?<br />it worked good the 1st time.

 

[butteco]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

"I think a 2" diameter, 2' long log will work nicely.<br /><br />Sorry butteco, I couldn't resist.. <br /><br />Good luck! "<br /><br />"thats right, do you think you could find the<br />same log in that lake again?<br />it worked good the 1st time. "<br /><br />HAHA OKAY SMARTASSES - ACTUALLY HERE IT IS! I KEPT THE DAMN THING!!!! <br /><br />

<br /><br />Here is what happened with the log/twig/branch etc...; Again it was at +/- 8mph Do you think this could have bent the shaft!!!! <br /><br />

 

[roscoe]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

probably not.

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

What type of skiing do you do at 8mph ??<br /><br />If the prop blade isn't bent (aluminum?) I'd bet your prop shaft is fine.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

I doubt you have any prop shaft damage, that prop is so soft it would bend long before the prop shaft. I would not be surprised if the rubber bushing was spun. That is more likely a factor in a future failure with the prop. I can tell you from experience that switching to the Hustler aluminum hub/housing system will greatly improve your performance over that old OMC prop. So unless you are on a real tight budget, toss the prop and pick up a Hustler (unless the prop shaft proves to be bent, then fix that first)

 

[Mettaree]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

butteco : If your prop is damaged I have a couple of Hustler Props 1 - 17" and 1 - 19" Alum with hub for OMC. All like new. Used them on 1995 Evin. 115 and 140( V4 gearcase not V6). No longer have those motors. Running Black motor now. Can contact me at JKW1939@gmail.com

 

[butteco]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

What prop pitch do I need??? Primary objective is going fast on the water, and secondary is pulling a skier...

 

[butteco]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

oh, and the PROP DID NOT GET BENT!!!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

Butteco,<br /><br />If the log really ended up like that, you seem to be the lucky one. That torque would have been 'square' to the prop - not skewed. If so, and there's no soft prop damage, you've probably done no damage anywhere else.<br /><br />Of course, the least your boss should do is pay for a shiny new s/s prop!

 

[butteco]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

HAHA, <br /><br />I told my boss how pissed I was when it happend and he swears he turned the boat off BEFORE he drove into the log, but I could hear it from back on the water skis - Clank (and the motor died)... No way it would have stuck in there like that if the boat was off!!! It cut clear halfway into that log!<br /><br />My boss is a penny pencher and won't compensate me for anything!!!<br /><br /><br />If it is true that soft props (aluminum/plastic) bend before the prop shaft, then wouldn't it be better for me to continue using aluminum props? Especially since the lake is covered in floating wood like that??? <br /><br />If I had a S/S prop then wouldn't it be just as strong as the shaft and if I did hit somehitng hard enough to bend the prop, it may bend the shaft instead???

 

[tomatolord]

Re: Piece of WOOD WEDGED IN PROP - Did I break my motor???

That is why I never switched to a SS prop - Dont know if it is true but it does make sense <br /><br />I always did feel I would rather replace a prop that is bent then to replace the shaft..