stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

[MissClueless]

On family vacation. We recently aquired what we think is a 1987 Sea Ray. Not sure of model, or even year. It ran great last summer, I am an auto tech and my father and I did some basic engine maintenance. But we're 100% newbies to boats.

We have the service manuals, but not knowing what we even have here, I am having a hard time figuring out what I am dealing with.

Engine starts, runs fine. If you manually turn the prop, you can see the shaft also spinning. My father says he is pretty sure it is going into gear, forward, neutral, reverse. But the prop is not spinning at all.

I am assuming it has to be the flywheel or a u joint but I didn't hear anything grenade. But maybe it was a gentle break?

I made a video of the boat.

Questions are:
Is anyone able to identify the year and model of this boat?

Is this a common issue, or any ideas on the cause?

 

[dubs283]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

the coupler is shot

or the prop hub is spun

or the drive gears are shot

check the coupler by running the engine and looking to see if the driveshaft is spinning at the back of the engine

check the prop hub by pulling the prop and inspecting the hub assy

check the drive gears by pulling the top cap and looking for ruined upper gears

 

[thumpar]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

Post up the serial numbers off the drive and engine.

 

[MissClueless]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

In gear shaft not turning, so !@#$ coupling, correct? Is this the equivalent to a flywheel? I am trying to upload the pictures of the boat itself to see what model it is.

Need to know model to get it out

 

[MissClueless]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

5974347 serial # on engine
model 245
hull serial # 70681-245da05-82

 

[thumpar]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

The shaft between the engine and drive should always spin when running on and Alpha 1 which I would guess it is. Doesn't matter if it is in gear or not. Don't run it too long if it is not. That also spins the impeller for cooling.

 

[MissClueless]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

 

[dubs283]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

In gear shaft not turning, so !@#$ coupling, correct? Is this the equivalent to a flywheel?

the drivshaft should be turning with the engine in gear or neutral, if you see the shaft not turning with the engine running, yes the coupler is shot

the coupler is mounted to the flywheel so the drive has to come off and the engine has to come out to replace it

 

[thumpar]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

Take a picture of the drive and engine. What the boat looks like doesn't matter.

 

[MissClueless]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

The book I have doesn't match up at all with what I am looking at, as far as the sterndrive goes.

 

[MissClueless]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

Put picture of the boat up to see if someone can identify what it is

 

[thumpar]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

I would go with dubs283 on this one. If the shaft is not spinning then the drive and engine will need to be pulled to fix. The shifting goes on in the lower end of the drive so in or out of gear has nothing to do with the shaft spinning.

ETA: Wasn't trying to be rude about the boat pic comment. Boats come in so many configurations that the boat make and year doesn't help with what drive and engine are in it. I have seen my 120hp alpha 1 equipped boat with an OMC in it from the factory.

 

[dubs283]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

based on your hull id number the boat is a 1982 model year, the pic looks like a sea ray cuddy cabin, possibly an older model sundancer with an aft cabin and elevated helm station by the looks of it

mercruiser model 260 engine (gm 350 cid) most likely coupled to an MC-1 drive or possibly an early R/MR/Alpha One

any way you look at it, the boat needs to come out of the water and you need to check the prop, drive, and coupler

 

[MissClueless]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

 

[Fun Times]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

The engine should be either a 1981 or 1982 MERCRUISER 260

The boat appears to a 1982 24 footer.

It appears the hull number is missing some letters at the beginning, For example it may look something more like this i believe, BLBMD347F882. But to be honest the boat info doesn't matter at all right now to help you with this situation.
http://www.boathistoryreport.com/index.cfm?HIN=245da0582&error=1&yearsToCheck=0

In order for you to find and order the correct parts, you will need the engine and drive serial numbers only.

Here are your part for this engine.
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/selectSerailRange.asp?doc_nbr=260++(2+BBL.)++GM+350+V-8+1978-1982

http://www.boathistoryreport.com/index.cfm?HIN=245da0582&error=1&yearsToCheck=0

 

[MissClueless]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

Yeah, when we leave for home Sunday, we will try to get it to the launch (not sure at all how that's going to happen haha).

Ironically, I joined this forum for my own boat I just got haha

Thanks so much for the quick replies and the help

 

[stonyloam]

Re: stranded on Lake Hopatcong - prop not spinning

In gear shaft not turning, so !@#$ coupling, correct? Is this the equivalent to a flywheel? I am trying to upload the pictures of the boat itself to see what model it is.

Actually it is equivalent to the clutch, except that it does not disengage. It is attached to the flywheel. It is made of rubber with a metal frame and a female splined coupler molded into the center. The driveshaft of the outdrive slides into the coupler and that is how power is transmitted to the outdrive. Over time the rubber can deteriorate and the coupler can come apart. here is what it looks like: http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...7&bnbr=190&bdesc=CRANKSHAFT+AND+PISTONS+(260) and a photo: http://www.mercruiserparts.com/showSpecialPicture.asp?pn=18643A7. To replace you need to remove the outdrive and pull the motor up and forward enough to access the flywheel, you should not have to remove the engine from the boat. Good luck.