SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

nwukasch86

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Jul 1, 2012
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Hi i am a boat rook but am some what mechanically inclined . i have a 2004 175 bayliner 3.0 merc alpha 1 I/O 135 hp. i recently had my motor pulled to replace mounts and sheared starter bolts. the boat sat for about 6 months due to a lazy mechanic which i will never go to again. anyways it was idling high and i lowered it to around 750 rpm in water at idle.well i took the boat out to the lake yest and all seemed to work fine until about 15 min into the boat ride (about 35 mph) and all of a sudden the boat seemed like it went in to neutral and came to a complete stop with engine still at high rpm. not to mention smoke was pouring out of the closed engine compartment.i opened it and it looked like the smoke was definitely coming out of the engine block side in the back where the shaft from the lower unit goes into the block. very foul rubber smell. the motor would start right up but would not engage in gear at all.had to get towed to dock. any advice would be very helpful and appreciated. sorry for the poor boat terminology. tried my best . thx
 

stonyloam

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

Your coupler has failed. Your mechanic is not only lazy he is incompetent! He apparently did not align the engine and outdrive which is the cause of the coupler failure.
 
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achris

More fish than mountain goat
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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

That sounds very much like the coupler has sheared out. If the previous mechanic didn't align the engine after replacing the rear mounts then that's a really good reason for the failure....

Unfortunately it means engine out again, and quite a bit of money for a new coupler...

Chris.....
 

nwukasch86

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

thx for the quick reply.is this something that can be repaired by a decent mechanic with a little boat knowledge or is it a job for the boat shop? do you know what all is involved as far as parts that i need to replace this coupling so i can look up a part estimate ?and is it called the drive shaft coupling or?? thx again
 

achris

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

Got an engine serial number? (and I'll give you a list of parts and prices)
 

nwukasch86

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

i looked up a few but not sure which one i need? would any one hapen to know..and would i just have to pull motor only to replace the coupler? no lower unit dissasembly?
 

nwukasch86

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

Engine serial number is OM671348
Transom serial OM825718
Drive serial OM482497
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

i looked up a few but not sure which one i need? would any one hapen to know..and would i just have to pull motor only to replace the coupler? no lower unit dissasembly?

Yes, with the serial number...

The part you require is # -18643A5, coupler, and at the discount on-line stores is about $240. No other parts should be required. (you will need a drive gasket set though)...

All that's need is to remove the drive from the bell-housing, then pull the engine out. Once you get it all back in and before you re-install the drive, you MUST re-align the engine... Or you'll do that coupler in too...

Chris......

Or this one, which includes the yoke, if yours is damaged...

http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...gd_poid=110304&gd_row=38&session_id=305955530
 
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cr2k

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3,730
Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

First pull the drive then pull the engine. A coupler is between $200 and $400 depending on model and where you get one. ebay is often a good source to get new boat parts. You will need an alignment tool also.

Could be done by a diyer just take pictures of every step.
 

nwukasch86

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

thank you so much for the quick response. doesnt seem like to much trouble. your help is very much appreciated brother!!!!
 

stonyloam

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

One thing that might make it a little easier, you don't have to remove the engine from the boat, just lift it up and move it forward (or the boat back) far enough that you can have access to the flywheel and coupler. Sometimes it is a problem getting the engine high enough to clear the sides of the boat, especially when on a trailer.
 

Maclin

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

I did not see this mentioned specifically, but I bet the engine was re-installed with no alignment to the drive performed. Can't tell from the thread details so far as to who installed the engine, but lessons learned: Couplers can get stressed and fail very quickly when alignmnet is not done or is done poorly.

Alignment may involve adjusting engine mount height(s) and could reveal some weak structure in the engine mount stringers/beams.
 

nwukasch86

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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

i highly agree with tou. being an auto mechanic it seems he did not do his research on re installing boat engines. i will make sure this is done properly this time. thx for the info maclin. lessoned learned
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
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Re: SMOKE EVERYWHERE!! any advice please???

i highly agree with tou. being an auto mechanic it seems he did not do his research on re installing boat engines. i will make sure this is done properly this time. thx for the info maclin. lessoned learned

Too many of them trying to be boat mechanics... :facepalm:....
 
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