Bad Coupler?

brandonmayberry

Last weekend we were cruising along just fine when i made a turn and the port engine increased in RPM's but the boat seemed to slow down and start to lose plane. I stopped, checked everything, all gauges were good. Went to take off and boat seemed a little sluggish but nothing terrible trying to get on plane and then when i went to raise my trim up to level out the port engine again revved up really high but it wasnt picking up speed. After putting for a few minutes and thinking about it i tried one more time and the boat ran perfect and the RPMS were fine. 

This weekend the boat seemed to do the same thing again and i began to think maybe my trim was acting funny because it almost sounds and acts like just that one prop is cavitating, but that all seems to be working fine.

I then got it up on plane without issue and it just seemed to run about 400rpm more than the starboard engine and they are usually at the same RPM. I checked the outdrives while running and they both were level with one another and from what i could visually check seemed ok. I havent hit anything so i dont believe its a prop issue.

I am now worried that it may be my coupler going bad. I didnt smell any burnt rubber or anything but thats what it seemed to be pointing to and im worried that im going to be without my boat for half the season to get it repaired.

Any thoughts?
Thanks!

brandonmayberry

Also, the boat has a brand new starboard outdrive as of last fall and brand new lower on the port side. When they replaced those i had the shop pull, grease and inspect the port upper. Is this something he should have caught?

aero3113

Sounds more like a prop hub going bad. Usually when a coupler goes you are dead in the water.

aero3113

Do you have Alpha drives?

brandonmayberry

Bravo 3 outdrives. No hub

aero3113

Strange, then maybe your trim position sender needs to be adjusted or is reading wrong causing you to bring the drive too far up and overspending the prop?

brandonmayberry

that was my first initial thought, however i visually verified the trim on the outdrives and they are both in line with each other.

brandonmayberry

Well, got a friend to go look and it appears there are metal shavings around the engine coupler. That means its going to have to be replaced. I was trying to hold off and bottom paint this fall but i guess ill just do it all now.

rasbury

that's not a bad one...the coupler as understand it operates much the way a hub does- you probably struck something and rather than take out the out drive, the coupler is the weakest link. Had mine done for 1300 bucks here in FL. Do yourself a favor and check the bellows- I'm having to do that now and sure wish I would have done it then...

brandonmayberry

I got a quote of 12-14 hours labor plus parts... only one marina around here that can lift my boat as most boats in our area are smaller so they have a pretty good
monopoly in that sense. I had both outdrives pulled and checked all bellows and such last fall. I hope I can get by at $1300.00 for just this. My friend told me my engines appear very easy to pull as they just need to come straight up and there is lots of room behind them. Hope that's the ca

jhofmann

Go for the heavy duty coupler, and have them check the oil pan for rust while the sngine is out.

randy56

What's the name of the boat company doing the work down there?  i had heard Rottering went out of business. 

brandonmayberry

I'm having green turtle bay do it. They are the only ones locally with the capability to lift the boat.  Rottering actually sold and the people who bought it then ran it into the ground and filed bankruptcy. Left a few people high and dry I heard. 

randy56

Heard the same story, Bill Rottering was a great guy. I did hear of another place about half way down KY lake that can handle bigger boats, but i do not remember the name of the place. Green Turtle will do you a good job. But it will wipe out the check book, LOL not that funny. It cost alot for them in overhead, insurance, lift, employee's ect.

brandonmayberry

Yea. I called prizer point because the website said they could haul out boats up to 55' but then they said that's old language on the site from previous owners and they don't have a way to get it out. Hu-B's at Kuttawa doesn't have a way either and I don't think Moores does any boat work like that. Only leaves green turtle to do the work I guess and yea they aren't cheap.