Destiny gets new cutlass & ???

[hanleyclifford]

Hanley, is that 3rd picture the inside of the cutlass bearing laid open on a flat surface?

Yes, peeled open like a tin can..

[Whippet]

Unexpected Winter Surprise

Didn't expect to see a cutlass discuss on A4 site but glad it's here.

I just fired up my C&C27 after its long winter's nap. A new surprise that wasnt there in the Fall: A lot of screaching coming from Cutlass at start up. but appears to go away when I give it more RPMs.

I really, really don't want to deal with this until next winter. Any advice here if i will do some permanent damage if i procrastinate? what is worse case? score the shaft? does it actually help to be in water?

thanks

[Ball Racing]

You are running it in gear on the hard?
I would'nt leave it in gear long , if at all, if no water is available to lubricate the cutlass.

[JOHN COOKSON]

The odd thing about this job (so far) is that the cutlass bearing only showed about 1/16" to maybe 1/8" slop on the shaft. e ICW.

The sort of acid test for the cutless (is it cutless or cutlass?) bearing is lateral movement of the shaft in the bearing. No lateral movement is good. Hanley is implying that a little movement is OK???? - I guess anyway. He can comment on this.

As you discovered lack of water lubrication will make it squeal and as mentioned will lead to wear on the cutless\shaft.

TRUE GRIT

[Whippet]

In gear

You are running it in gear on the hard?
I would'nt leave it in gear long , if at all, if no water is available to lubricate the cutlass.

Not intentionally. Shifter in neutral but have a sense shaft is still turning. I will investigate more when return to boat. Appreciate advice not to do a lot of testing on the hard.

[Mo]

Didn't expect to see a cutlass discuss on A4 site but glad it's here.

I just fired up my C&C27 after its long winter's nap. A new surprise that wasnt there in the Fall: A lot of screaching coming from Cutlass at start up. but appears to go away when I give it more RPMs.

I really, really don't want to deal with this until next winter. Any advice here if i will do some permanent damage if i procrastinate? what is worse case? score the shaft? does it actually help to be in water?

thanks

Whippet,
A dry cutlass will screech...just don;t make a long run on it on the hard. If you grab the prop and there is just a tad movement it should be good...there generally is some play or it would be binding. I had a machinist check mine and he just gave it a shake and showed me what it good. We walked to a couple of boats to find a "bad" one but there were none that needed repair. I have moved a bad one in the past and there was significant play when shook...much like a wheel bearing gone almost to the point of crystallizing...that's allot of movement. Note that some play is OK and normal...sloppy is not good. I haven't had to touch mine in the 6 years that I've had the boat. Mine screeches too if I don't put the hose to it prior to start up....the cutless is likely fine.
[YOUTUBE]aoihuq_5sW0[/YOUTUBE]
If there is an experienced sailor around where the boat is have him give it a shake. They will rattle and bang when the boat is in the water when they are on the way out. If you give it a shot of water with a hose the screech will go away. Can spray something "thin filmed" oil based in there as well...ie WD40 or other lubrication spray. Running in gear a minute, check your shaft for a wobble...once lubricated it will sound like the above video.

Note: If you put an anode on the shaft as I did ensure to lock the threads with lock-tight. As the zinc corrodes the torque on the bolts is reduced and they work their way free....FYI

[Whippet]

shaft spin on the hard

Thanks Mo

I appreciate the advice about giving it shot of thin lube or at least water.

My shifter is on the pedestal and i think these are know to have a small "neutral" range so why i am getting some turning.

PS i am using your Spring check-list to get ready for launch. You are a gem.

[hanleyclifford]

The sort of acid test for the cutless (is it cutless or cutlass?) bearing is lateral movement of the shaft in the bearing. No lateral movement is good. Hanley is implying that a little movement is OK???? - I guess anyway. He can comment on this.

As you discovered lack of water lubrication will make it squeal and as mentioned will lead to wear on the cutless\shaft.

TRUE GRIT

If someone would say, I would love to know what is the allowable tolerance on a cutlass bearing. BTW, I never run my engine on the hard with prop shaft connected; you should always separate the drive coupling. You cannot effectively lubricate with a garden hose and I am skeptical about applying any oil to the bearing since it could be vulnerable to a chemical reaction and thus shorten the life of the cutlass.

[ndutton]

Liquid dish soap.

[romantic comedy]

I just block from the prop to the boat, to stop rotation, when running dry. Works on my boat anyway.

I do usually have the shaft disconnected anyway, just for alignment checks. And check it again when in the water.

Hanley, the ICW ate up a new cutlass on my trip south. 1000 miles and it was shot.

[hanleyclifford]

I just block from the prop to the boat, to stop rotation, when running dry. Works on my boat anyway.

I do usually have the shaft disconnected anyway, just for alignment checks. And check it again when in the water.

Hanley, the ICW ate up a new cutlass on my trip south. 1000 miles and it was shot.

1000 miles is only one way! not even. I think my current got four round trips. But I have often wondered about the effect of that dirty, gritty water - especially on days when the stinkpots are blowing by so fast and often you hardly get a decent reading on your sounder.

[romantic comedy]

Hanley, then I think you did fine with yours.

[hanleyclifford]

Odd tools

You never know when some useless piece of hardware store junk will become useful. A 6' bath curtain rod constructed of the cheapest, lightest but straightest brass (probably by child labor in Bangladesh) has become my first line engine alignment rod. The cutless is new and the distance from it to the engine is about half the length of the shower rod which is a 1" perfect fit in the cutless. By runing it in and observing where it lands on the engine output coupling, crude initial positioning of the "dog" can be made.