Weird sound while idling

skennelly

Fired the boat up yesterday and immediately had a sound I've never heard before that wouldn't go away.  Kind of a vibration like sound.  Took the boat out but didn't really go above 3k rpm because I was worried.  Didn't seem to act funny while driving.  Noise didn't get worse.  Took a video of the sound.  Thoughts?

I'll be back to the boat on Friday alone to try and diagnose further.

https://youtu.be/DG_3EHp-AUs

PickleRick

My guess...because it sounds like a growl and not a whine...is a gimball bearing.  

This has been a gimball bearing spring.  

skennelly

I am afraid it's something drive related. Gimbal bearing was replaced 4 years ago.

PickleRick

From my research drive issues are more whine than growl.

Can you drain the foot, look for water and metal in the oil.  

Liberty44140

Gimbal May last 14 years, may last 1 or 4, could still be the bearing. When was alignment last checked the right way?

skennelly

@Liberty44140...2017 was the last time an alignment would have been done.

Liberty44140

Yea it’s entirely likely alignment is no longer on and took out the gimbal bearing. Hard to tell with sound but just saying it’s very very possible 

PickleRick

How do you guys do the alignment?  I spin the engine over at 12 3 6 and 9 oclock. If i get even or near even spline marks on the bar at each position i call it a day.  

Liberty44140

That’s what my mechanic said he’d do to get it right. Use the starter to turn it to 3, 6, 9 and 12 to be sure it smoothly went in and out and spun. 

skennelly

I was quoted roughly $570+parts including a haul out.

Assuming it's the only problem.

PickleRick

Not bad. I think the bearing is about 125 of that. If it failed because its wet its time for bellows and maybe u joints.  

skennelly

@PickleRick - Yeah it's never something simple...bellows was replaced 4 years ago as well so we'll see I guess

PickleRick

On a slip kept boat id say every 3 years is mandatory.  If that upper bellow cracks and takes on water she will sink.  Im a little ocd about stuff like that.

69fastback

skennelly said:

I was quoted roughly $570+parts including a haul out.

Assuming it's the only problem.

So about $700 with parts. That doesn’t sound too bad, including a haul out. 

J3ff

Just hope it isn't a leak like mine was!! 

skennelly

@J3ff - I don't have any leaks...just the noise I was hearing.

J3ff

Honestly, that doesn't sound like a gimbal bearing to me... sounds much louder but what do I know, I'm the dummy who keeps dropping massive amounts of money on this boat! 

PickleRick

Better than blowing it on women drugs and booze.

Aqua_Aura

PickleRick said:

Better than blowing it on women drugs and booze.

Well at least better than drugs. Booze and women eh jury is still out 

skennelly

Got diagnoses back

Bellows leaked causing gimbal bearing to fail.

They are replacing bellows, gimbal bearing, ujoint and water pickup hose.  $1200

Worse part is one part they don't have and will take a week to get they say.  Might miss 4th of July.  Bummed about that.

Liberty44140

$1200 isn’t bad at all for all that on a single 

skennelly

@Liberty44140 - Well that's good to hear

All maintenance items so needed to be done eventually.

PickleRick

1200 bucks is just a hair over b.o.a.t.  sucks about the 4th however im not a fan of lake traffic on the 4th.

In my boat parting out sales experience i had a guy complain 1500 was a lot of cash to spend on a trailer for a repair so he could tow to a shop.  It took a ton of self control not to laugh.

rasbury

I don't do holidays on the water and we have plenty of water...

skennelly

Just to hang on the boat by the dock is fun...but I guess if I'm going be dry on the 4tb it might as well be this season

skennelly

I do question the quality of workmanship my boatyard performed in 2016.

They did steering pin, gimbal, bellows...and in one season the steering pin leaked and they redid it...that was 2017.

Now just 3 years later the bellows failed and destroyed the gimbal and ujoint.

Don't think they will work on my boat too much anymore.

I'm having a different shop work on it this time.

Willhound

Losing boat time sucks. But catching the bellows is good. And the price is right for that work and parts. As far as the previous work....maybe. Doesn't take much for a bellows sometimes although 4 years is short. Good luck with the new shop.

skennelly

Thanks SkipperBuds they service the boats in our harbor and are a big name in our area

andyd

Well my whine was the infamous Volvo-Penta fuel pump whine. Not sure what equipment is involved here. Fixed with the help of www.ManCaveMechanic.com.

Andy

Aqua_Aura

andyd said:

Well my whine was the infamous Volvo-Penta fuel pump whine. Not sure what equipment is involved here. Fixed with the help of www.ManCaveMechanic.com.

Andy

That's who I used. Saved me about $800. 

skennelly

Well the shop working on my boat called and said it was done...that's the good news.  They also said that they noticed corrosion on the carrier bearing, but no leaks or anything.  Making it sound though like it was bad.  I don't know.  I said don't do anything and I would address that and the end of the season or winter.