5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

[captmello]

'88 AQ260 with power steering, 275 vp outdrive

I put this summers project back in the water for a test. I Overheated this boat a few weeks ago and have since had the heads rebuilt and put back together in the driveway. It seemed to run great with the muffs so I was optimistic. We took off from the landing and right away I heard a grinding noise coming from the motor. seemed to be coming from the lower rear bell housing area. Naturally I hadn't gone through a that work to head back to the landing so we headed out. the grinding continued at a low pitch that changed with the RPM's. The noise didn't change when it was in neutral or forward. The only time it seemd to be affected was if I steered the wheel all the way to the left or right in gear or not.

The boat performance was good. It had a few of the old Qjet issues, hesitating when the larger barrels open, etc. It ran strong for the half hour or so we where out with that grinding noise always present. It never got hot, but the grinding left me worried.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Any suggestions would be great.

coming from the bottom rear of the motor, it couldn't be good. If it were a bad crank bearing would the engine run and perform as well as it did? Good oil pressure and steady temp. What else causes a grinding noise at the bell housing? Could the oil pump make a noise like that and still be working?
With the boat in nuetral and the noise still present, does that eliminate the outdrive from making the noise? The fact that I if I turn the steering wheel hard either way quiets the noise idling in nuetral makes me wonder if something may simply be rubbing and the steering causes enough flex in whatever is making the noise to quiet down. Any other insights?

thanks.

 

[Don S]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Sounds like the bearings inside the engine flywheel cover (intermediate bearings) are bad. Usually caused by water in the bellows.
You need to replace them before the lock up and spin inside the bellhousing. You won't like the price of a new cover.

The bearings are items 66 and 70 in the link below.

http://www.volvopentastore.com/CONN...*****.104861965--store_id.366--view_id.325263

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Do it soon or you won't get it apart. Bad thing is the motor has to come out.
#73 is a screw that you need to replace with a grease fitting.If it had been done before and it had been greased this might not have happened.New seals too!!!!. Jerry

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Thanks to Don and Jerry for your help. I was prepared to keep running the boat thinking it was a motor issue i could deal with this winter. My local dealer has the parts, I'm going to pull the motor this weekend and hopefully be ready for the family vacation to the lake middle of next week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.

 

[Don S]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

I'm going to pull the motor this weekend and hopefully be ready for the family vacation to the lake middle of next week.

I think you better get a little more head start on pulling the engine this weekend if you want the boat that quick.
You do not need to pull the complete outdrive, but you MUST pull the upper gear box in order to get to the 6 bolts holding the bellhousing in.

You are also going to need new seals and orings for putting the gear box back on, along with all the seals and bearings for the flywheel cover.
I would also suggest you replace the bellows, especially if it has water in it, which is what caused the problem.
You will also need ujoints, and possible the seal ring an metal washer the seal ring rides on to keep the oil in the drive. When they get rusty, the oil gets out of the drive and you end up loosing a drive too.
You have a LOT of work ahead of you that you aren't even aware of yet.
Please tell me you have some OEM service manuals for your drive and engine.

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

You're right it does sound like a lot of work. I only have the Seloc manual which I think I overpaid for, I have yet to find it very useful. Pulling the motor seems fairly straight forward, disassembling the outdrive will be a first for me. Is there shimming involved in the reassemble? I can't afford to pay someone so I'm going to go for it. That is if my local dealer has all the parts I need. I called and he has the bearings, I'm not sure about the other parts. Am I needing special tools for any of these tasks? Do you suggest pulling the gear box first or the motor? I'll get started tonight.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Don S]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

1 Remove the upper gear box on the outdrive
2. Remove 6 bolts (item #41 in link below)
3. Remove lag bolts holding engine front mounts to stringers.
4. Disconnect throttle cable, battery cables, hoses (Fuel and water).
5. Disconnect electrical main harness
6. Lift engine and move forward to clear flywheel housing out of transom shield and lift up.

http://www.volvopentastore.com/mall/image/vendor/699/EPC/bigger/8067_big.png

Now you can remove the flywheel housing and replace bearings and seals.

Below are links to the OEM manuals that may help.

Engine
http://www.4shared.com/account/file/55815978/e384dd23/AQ200_to_260_Service_Manual.html

Drive
http://www.4shared.com/account/file/51930153/3a7e6375/270.html

You won't have to reshim anything in the drive, Just don't loose the shims just under the bearing of the upper gear box, and be sure to put new seals on everything.

 

[boatmonkey82]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

CHECK YOUR U-JOINTS ! if it gets worse when you turn it or trim it up and down then it may well be your u-joints on the drive shaft . it could be a starter / flywheel issue . i had 5.7 m/c in a ski boat that came in with grinding noise and his fly wheel was loose and about to fall off . if all else fails grind it till it fits

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Well I'm already stuck on removing the helmet. I've got two manuals and don't get it. Don S refered to a pin, one book refers to a sleeve to remove with two allen wrenches to remove the helmet. The other manual says "Loosen the steering housing" and nothing else. Is the pin/sleeve under the two bolts in the center of the helmet or is on top where the steering shaft goes through the transum. A little help to move me alone would be appreciated.

Joe

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Still stumped by the helmet. I must be missing something obvious, It doesn't seem that complicated!! Could someone straighten me out? Please.

joe

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

The helmet is held in place by 1 allen head bolt or 2 1/4in or 5/16 allen head(wrench size) bolts..Then it's held in by old gunk.Use 2 1/4 20 bolts, screw them in the small holes next to the allen head bolt holes.This will push the round inner thing out.(don't know how to explain it any other way. Jerry

 

[Don S]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

If you don't have the 2 small 1/4-20 holes in your pin (many of the older ones didn't) then they will be a real pain to get out. I made a tool to go into the two larger holes so I could twist it and free them up. Then use some vise grips with needle nose ends to pull them up after you get them freed up.
Get a new pin with 4 holes.

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Thanks Don and Jerry!! I did have the 4 hole helmet pin, came out fine. My current problem is getting the bearings out. On the advise of the local dealer I left the flywheel housing in the boat to try to save some bucks on the extra seals. I've got the engine out and the upper gear box off. Don, you were right on in your diagnosis, but you probably knew that. There was water in the bellows and I will be replacing the u-joints along with the drive shaft bearings. I removed the flywheel cover seals and snap rings but the bearings seem to be in tight. Is there a trick to getting them out? Do they need to be pressed in and out?

Thanks again,

Joe

 

[Don S]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

On the advise of the local dealer I left the flywheel housing in the boat to try to save some bucks on the extra seals.

What do they deal in? It's obviously not Volvo Penta.
Since you want to do it that way, you might want to ask them about the rest of the process with the bellhousing in the boat. Don't forget trying to install the engine back in.

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

It is a vp dealer. Midway Marine, St paul MN. I showed him the parts breakdown and he said i didnt need to pull the flywheel cover and i could save on the two big gaskets, I didn't know any better. I have no reason to try to save on gaskets with the amount of time I've got into this boat and it doesn't seem any more difficult to take the motor out with the flywheel cover. I can't tell you how much, you Don and Jerry and the rest have helped with this and previous projects. I tell everyone about the help its been for me.

If I need to pull the flywheel cover please let me know so I can pick the seals up tomorrow. The manuals don't seem to cover this process. I'm going out of town next week and I'm bringing this boat.

And that all there is to it!

 

[Don S]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

The big rubber rings on either side of the transom shield, only get replaced if they are so flat they won't seal. Have only seen a couple like that.
Besides, when you start taking out all the snap rings and pressing out the shaft (I use a dead blow hammer as a press) and reinstalling, plus cleaning out the old grease and cleaning the parts. There is no savings in leaving it in the boat. Buy parts from them if you must, but I don't think I would take my boat to them. And I have been a Volvo tech for many years.

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

I'll pull the flywheel cover out tomorrow and hopefully get the thing back together by Sunday for a test run.

Let you know what happens.

Joe

 

[captmello]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise - Update

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise - Update

Well, the job took a week but finally got the motor back in and the upper gear housing installed with new flywheet cover bearings and new ujoints!

I took it out for a test and the boat worked great!!!

I couldn't have done it without the help of this website and especially Don S. This project is done but it won't be the last. I hope this thread can help someone in the future.

thanks again,

Joe

 

[Maclin]

Re: 5.7 ltr Volvo penta making odd noise

Hey Cap'n,

Would you mind posting the parts list and invoice/prices for the dealer items like the bearings and such? I think this work is in the near future for me, thanks!