transmission problems ????

[1976_SkiTique]

This might get kind of long so I apologize and please bear with me. <br /><br />I think I have transmission problems in my boat, a 1976 SkiTique. It is an inboard with a 351 Ford, and a Borg-Warner 71C velvet drive with a 1:1 ratio The symptoms included; When starting to get somebody out of the water, if you punched it, it felt like the prop wasn't catching, if you eased off on her you could get it to go. It gradually got worse until you couldn't even pull anybody and it had trouble even going. I was able to dirve it out of the lake at slow speeds to put it on the trailer for the winter. Before this(I think) I had to jack up the motor to gain access to replace a freeze plug. I don't think I did, but it is possible I may have bent the shaft. Do the symptoms sound like transmission problems, or possibly a bent shaft? How much work is it to repair the transmission? I'm fairly mechanical and the marine transmission seems simple enough.<br />Thanks,<br />Jeff

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: transmission problems ????

Sounds like you have fried your transmission. It can be any of a number of things in the transmission. The shifter could not have been adjusted correctly and the lever not going fully into gear. (causes reduced pressure on the cluthes and they begin to slip) or it could be a worn pump reducing the pressure. Anyway, sounds like its time for a rebuild. The hardest part is aligning the forward clutches when you reinsert the main shaft.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: transmission problems ????

Capt Ken's got it... Easy trans to rebuild if your so inclined to go for it... Just get a manual before you start..

 

[1976_SkiTique]

Re: transmission problems ????

Thanks for the good information.<br />I'm ordering the manual right now.<br />Any tricks to pulling the transmission out. Can I leave the engine in and just block it up? If it would help I could post a picture of the area.<br />Water got into the transmission too, but I changed all the fluid out before running it.

 

[1976_SkiTique]

Re: transmission problems ????

Oh yeah, one more thing. There is a leak in the boat around the rope seal on the shaft. I was told to try and tighten that to stop the leak vs. buying a new one and replacing. So I tightened that too. Didn't really work, going to be replacing that as well. Thanks for listening...you are all very cool.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: transmission problems ????

Yep, you can disconnect the coupling and remove the mount bolts, then raise the rear of the engine till the transmission can slide back and clear the shaft flange. Block under the bellhousing to hold it up. Remove the transmission mounts, oil cooler hoses, six bolts holding it to the bellhousing, shift cable and slide it back.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: transmission problems ????

SkiTique.. You might want to go ahead and replace the drive damper too, while your at it..<br /><br />The drive damper bolts to the engines flywheel and connects the trans input shaft to the flywheel (looks kind of like a clutch you might find in a car or truck).. The damper has a series of large springs and a cog around the center which are designed to break or slip (give, is a better term) if say your prop hit something very hard or a major trans failure, ect.. Problem is these springs deteriorate over time from rust and they can just let loose on ya... I know from experience.. <br /><br />As for the leak on the "rope seal" (flax packing in the stuffing box), you don't want to crank that down too awful hard because you can damage the shaft by overtightening... This might explain it better..<br /> http://diy-boat.com/Pages/Archives/links/eng99_2.html

 

[1976_SkiTique]

Re: transmission problems ????

I don't suppose there's any chance tightening that seal too much could have given me the symptoms I was experiencing. Yeah, I didn't think so, its just I think going skiing sounds better than rebuilding a transmission.<br /><br />Again, thanks for the replies.