Trying to turn the shaft by hand

[benbox]

Hello all

I hope to gather some wisdom from the all the salty experience around here. I am having that common problem where the A4 in our 1982 Catalina 30 runs, idles, and revs smoothly like a top when neutral, but stalls within seconds when put into gear. I have read dozens and dozens of discussion threads so I have a lengthy list of troubleshooting items. However, due to my inexperience, I am running into some issues in the first step -- checking to see if my prop shaft will turn by hand in neutral.

1) With 2 of us boat partners gripping the prop shaft, while in neutral, we were unable to budget the prop shaft at all, not even a fraction of a mil, using our bare hands. However -- we do not have a standard stuffing tube, instead we have one of those PSS Shaft Seal systems, where the stainless steel collar is pressed against a graphite puck under pressure from the rubber bellows. Should the shaft still be turning freely by hand even with the PSS shaft seal system?

2) Would it be a worthwhile test, if I de-coupled the prop shaft from the coupling flange at the engine shaft output, and then tried again to turn the shaft by hand? (And if I understand correctly, I should carefully use my feeler gauges when slowly re-tighten the bolts connecting my prop shaft to the coupling flange - correct?)

We're already planning to hire a diver to check for lines or other debris fouling the prop or shaft outside the boat, but I want to check for excess shaft binding this weekend. Was just hoping that #1 above -- was already good enough indicator that my shaft binding is the issue.

BACKGROUND: New (to us) boat had an extremely well maintained A4, and motored everywhere with no problems. At end of March, we motored 2 hours to get to a shipyard where, for the next 4 weeks, we got all standing rigging replaced. Boat was never lifted out of the water. After 4 weeks, we start the engine, put into gear, and stalled after a few minutes.

After more attempts, the engine now stalls almost immediately (prop shaft turns 4-5 times) and then it stops). With all of this, I believe the issue is shaft binding, so was hoping to confirm.

Would appreciate if someone could confirm if in neutral, with PSS seal, prop shaft could be easily turned.

thanks

[msmith10]

Yes, you should be able to turn the shaft by hand. I have an old fashioned stuffing box so I don't know if the PSS is adjustable like a stuffing box, but if you can't turn the shaft by hand there's a problem. Are you sure the reversing gear is in neutral? Can you feel the forward detent clicking in and out as you move the shifter?

[Dave Neptune]

A PSS shaft should turn very easy if truly in neutral of which the direct drive trans is extremely illusive of.

Does it move at all or just stuck? Since you were in and out of the yard hopeful the strut if so equipped did not get bumped.

Do check and see that the prop is not fouled as it could save a lot of trouble.

Did the shaft turn slowly when in neutral? Does your shifter linkage feel smooth?

Dave Neptune

[benbox]

Hi all - thank you for the answers so far. In reply -- yes, I've verified that the gear is truly in neutral. Am able to feel the detente click in, and that's why the engine immediately dies.

Interestingly, when we first tried to move the boat out of the slip, the engine died after running a couple of minutes. Subsequent attempts showed that the engine dies progressively quicker and quicker after putting boat in gear. It feels like something might have progressively wrapped itself tighter and tighter around the shaft. Now it dies immediately after shifting into gear.

When I last attempted to, I verified as best I could that the engine is in neutral. I could not budge the shaft, even a little.

thanks for the tips so far. We have a diver lined up so we will know soon. I'll post the results, and I'm hoping that something obvious will be found.

Ben

[Dave Neptune]

First there is no real neutral or reverse in the direct drive. The "detent" only locks the trans in forward. To use reverse pressure needs to be applied to the shifter to hold in reverse as there is no means for the trans to hold itself in "reverse". Now neutral is sort of in between however t due to the friction of the mechanism the trans can and usually does spin a bit when in the neutral range of shifter position. Depending on how the trans is adjusted there can be a little or a lot of drag in the neutral range.

How does the shift cable look and does it move smoothly? Any rust or wires poking out of the sleeve?

When the engine is idling in neutral is the shaft turning at all?

You could put a mask on and stick your head under water and take a look or wait for a diver.

Dave Neptune

[Sam]

Good advise - this sounds exactly what happens when a dock line, piece of line or even a large plastic bag wraps around the prop shaft. Had to go down with googles and a knife in across my mouth and then cut it away.

[edwardc]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

... You could put a mask on and stick your head under water ...

Or try a GoPro on a stick.