Prop Assy Spacing

[myoldboat2]

1974 Mercruiser 140 s/n 388xxx
Late Model I Sterndrive s/n 390xxx

Cleaned up my prop assy again. My son's old enough to work the helm now, so for the first time I got to watch the prop while he shifted (drive on earmuffs). When in neutral, lots of cooling water runs through the prop hub. While in forward or reverse, most of that water exits between the housing and the back of the prop. Seems weird to me. There's some spray coming out the starboard exhaust port underneath the bell housing, just some steam from the port side.

My thrust hub is all the way against the o-ring by the oil seal. The prop sits tight against the thrust hub. They are all greased, but not thick enough to hold things out. The spline washer does not engage on the shaft splines--seems to me something's off with that. When tight, the outer edge of the prop nut is just about flush with the end of the shaft. It's a Merc prop, I think, has these numbers on it:
* 5365
48 78116 A40L 15P 43
Not too sure about that last "43".

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Prop Assy Spacing

Not sure of the question? The thrust hub does come in different thicknesses.

Regarding the exhaust - perfectly normal for the water to come out from the relief port area.

 

[ErieRon]

Re: Prop Assy Spacing

The Merc. manual says that there should be at least two (2) threads protruding beyond the nut when installed properly. I have about five (5), but that's "at least two" so I never worried about it. If yours, or mine, was flush...I would look in to it.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Prop Assy Spacing

My cocnern would be about the spline washer not engaging any splines...never seen that! The prop shaft should have defined splines all the way up to the threaded part of the shaft....