Turbo prop installation mystery on Volvo SX-A

CapnNemo

Cadet
Joined
Sep 4, 2020
Messages
15
Hi,
I recently purchased a 2009 Glastron GT 205 with a Volvo Penta 5.0 GL-J and SX-A drive. Since the gear oil drain plug is in front of the prop, I had to take the prop off to change the oil.

The prop was extremely difficult to pull off, despite being well greased and no corrosion (I rigged up a cable setup that ran through the exhaust vents on the side of the prop hub, and attached them to a gear puller). The reason was because the drive sleeve adapter (installed after the prop) was basically press-fit onto the shaft. I reinstalled it the same way and had to pound it on with a rubber mallet until I could get the nut on.

The 4-blade prop appears to be a Turbo prop -- Turbo is stamped on the aft end, along with the part number EH-14218-R4. I have not been able to find any information about this prop anywhere online. The drive sleeve adapter has the number 850330 stamped on it. A Google search suggests that this drive sleeve adapter is a component in Mercury's Flo-Torq system, and is made to work with their plastic sacrificial hub sleeve to adapt Mercury propellers to Volvo drives (a newer model, 850330Q now is being sold). However, there is no plastic component in the setup (the drive sleeve adapter mates directly to the prop, with a tiny bit of rotational slop between the prop and adapter). The order of assembly was: thrust bushing, prop, drive sleeve adapter, splined spacer, curved washer, and nut (a prop lock with special removal tool). No cotter pin, and nowhere to install one on the nut.

I watched a video online showing installation of the Flo Torq hub on a Mercury outboard, and, in that case, the drive sleeve adapter went on the shaft before the prop (not after, as in my case), and was flipped the opposite way. Interestingly, if I put it on that way, it slides on smoothly until the back end of it reaches the splined part of the shaft, and then it stops (when pushing by hand). So, the interference seems to be only at the end of the internal splines on the adapter.

So, does anyone know if I have the right drive sleeve adapter setup for this prop, or is this a hack? If not a hack, is it installed properly? I can't imagine that the use of so much force was intended! Should I try the newer 850330Q adapter? If it is a hack, where do I find the right hub kit to properly mount this prop?

I've attached a photo of the setup with the spacer, washer and nut removed. You can see the large-diameter end of the 850330 adapter at the back of the prop.

Any thoughts are much appreciated!
 

Attachments

  • Prop.jpg
    Prop.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 2
Top