She's makin a new noise captain' !!

J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited August 2019 in General Boating Discussions
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Post edited by J3ff on
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Comments

  • 212rowboat212rowboat Member Posts: 2,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    gimbal bearing?  
    there is a zerk on the shaft visible behind the coupler housing... hit it with some grease and see what happens?  
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I can't really here anything other than a motor running...
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    gimbal bearing?  
    there is a zerk on the shaft visible behind the coupler housing... hit it with some grease and see what happens?  
    Oh yeah? That was the first question I asked the local Merc guy here and he said that the B3 didn't have one.. that's #1 on the list. 
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Later bearings are sealed...when I re did mine it was set up for the zert which I prefer...
  • zaverin1zaverin1 Member Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭
    Bearing or u joints 
    also could be the upper drive gear set
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Does the noise change if you raise or lower the drive?
    2008 330EC
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Noise doesn't change unless you give it some gas. 

    Have raised and lowered, turned left and right, same noise. I can't really tell but the noise seems to stay the same even when rpm increases, it doesn't get louder or anything. 

    Anyone have a diagram on how to get to this zerk fitting? 
  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Is it the same in or out of gear?
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    yes, it's the same in or out of gear. 
  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Oddly enough, mine started doing the same this year. Sounds like a small train chugging. Was thinking it was the addition of the new swim platform trapping exhaust noise but now I wonder. The noise is definitely at the back if the block so I thought drive train also. My gimbal is also new last year. Same in or out of gear .
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I could not hear anything, this is the best picture I could find. Of greasing the gimble  You will have to lay on the engine, looking down at the rear . where the red arrow is pointing. There are two fitting on them. If ya get one of them greased good that should tell you if that is your problem.
    Related image
    Boat Name : 

  • zaverin1zaverin1 Member Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭
    Might have to bump the engine few times to get good attack angle on the zerks
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Willhound said:
    Oddly enough, mine started doing the same this year. Sounds like a small train chugging. Was thinking it was the addition of the new swim platform trapping exhaust noise but now I wonder. The noise is definitely at the back if the block so I thought drive train also. My gimbal is also new last year. Same in or out of gear .
    Yup, perfect description, I can tell you that mine has never made that noise till a few days ago... and it is def not normal. :(
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    randy56 said:
    I could not hear anything, this is the best picture I could find. Of greasing the gimble  You will have to lay on the engine, looking down at the rear . where the red arrow is pointing. There are two fitting on them. If ya get one of them greased good that should tell you if that is your problem.
    Related image
    Thank you, will be attempting this soon! 
  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270
  • reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    striped coppler but those are zert
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Willhound said:
    That is the exact same noise.   The chugging sound hasn't been there in 2.5 years of use. 
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    striped coppler but those are zert
    Thanks for the pic, I may have to go buy a grease gun with a flexible tube, I went for the cheap one with a metal tube last time. 
  • 212rowboat212rowboat Member Posts: 2,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The kick in the teeth is when you finally get on it and then realize you don't have room to pump it in.... Get a pneumatic one. 
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Make sure you use the correct coupler grease not the gimbal bearing grease.
    2008 330EC
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    It really doesn't make sense that it would be the coupler... I found another post on club sea ray where Merc replaced his entire outdrive, which did no solve the problem. In the end he said "The gimbal bearing was just tearing up the transom plate." So they replaced the transom assembly.. sure hope that isn't my problem here! 

    ordering this now: https://www.harborfreight.com/air-grease-gun-219.html
  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,318 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The outer zerk on the B3 was eliminated so you won’t have that anymore. That was for the gimbal bearing which is now sealed. But as drew said there is still 1-2 zerks on the coupler in the engine room that still need greased each year. 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You can buy a pistol style grease gun, this way you don’t have to worry about using air.
    2008 330EC
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @212rowboat why would that seal cause a noise? I guess the gun I bought must be a pistol type? It has a pretty long hose...harbor freight I think..
  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    J3ff said:
    It really doesn't make sense that it would be the coupler... I found another post on club sea ray where Merc replaced his entire outdrive, which did no solve the problem. In the end he said "The gimbal bearing was just tearing up the transom plate." So they replaced the transom assembly.. sure hope that isn't my problem here! 

    ordering this now: https://www.harborfreight.com/air-grease-gun-219.html
    @reneechris14 thanks for the pic. Didn't know those were there, always thought the coupler was sealed. @J3ff I don't know about you but I'll certainly give it a try. Your post above is worst case scenario but I don't think we're there yet. Throw some grease at it.
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    All the things being looked at would be RPM sensitive right? You said it does not make a difference if you idle it up....failing coupler would not make a noise, it would just go right? Plus you have a new motor don't you? Gimbal would growl but I would think you would hear a difference if you rev it up.....how many hours on the out drive.....? Clutch in your out drive? Any other accessories ( can't think of what) back there that could be running/failing?
  • 212rowboat212rowboat Member Posts: 2,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ras, the seal likely allowed infiltration which caused the bearing to foul.  The sound being a "flat" spot in the bearing itself.  It could be its just simply the bearings time, too, though.. 

    The locomotive descript is a good one, but more like a whoosh than a chug.  I greased it after isolating it, and I didnt even know there was a zert there prior, but... Akin to a lawnmower stopping butt cold when you hit something the blades cant cut, so did the boat engine when I passed over a certain trim range... I guess the gimbal bearing simply seized at that point and it was just too much drag on the engine at that point.  It would run just fine with the leg all the way down.  I swapped the bearing and never jad a problem again (and always grease that zert too, now, at least once a year or every 20 hours). 
  • RustySRustyS Member Posts: 83 ✭✭

    We launched my buddy's SeaRay back on Memorial Day weekend and he heard almost the exact same noise. As he was coming out of the straps and pulling away the noise was very evident. He pinpointed it to the Port drive/motor.

    Pulled the boat back out and while in the straps and on land we put muffs on each motor and started them. I put my ear directly on the upper gearcase as we thought the worse. After comparing each motor/drive the level of noise coming from each appeared to be equal.

    Keep in mind the level of noise from exhaust minimizes any noise without an ear directly on the surface....

    Put my ear to the transom plate and the difference in noise was very evident; the Port transom was MUCH louder, and had that train sound.

    We blocked the boat; pulled the drive; changed the gimbal and put boat back in water and noise was gone. Definitely not the noise you would typically hear from a bad gimbal bearing and no difference with turning, drive up/down, etc. Same noise all the time....

    Other background is this entire transom housing assembly was brand new 2 years ago.

    This was a sealed gimbal bearing (the newer transom assemblies don't even have the holes for the zerk). Seems to me the grease-able bearings have a much longer lifespan but it could be argued the grease tube is a weak point allowing water to enter.

    Just thought I would share the experience as I feel that is your problem. Good Luck!

  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    RustyS said:

    We launched my buddy's SeaRay back on Memorial Day weekend and he heard almost the exact same noise. As he was coming out of the straps and pulling away the noise was very evident. He pinpointed it to the Port drive/motor.

    Pulled the boat back out and while in the straps and on land we put muffs on each motor and started them. I put my ear directly on the upper gearcase as we thought the worse. After comparing each motor/drive the level of noise coming from each appeared to be equal.

    Keep in mind the level of noise from exhaust minimizes any noise without an ear directly on the surface....

    Put my ear to the transom plate and the difference in noise was very evident; the Port transom was MUCH louder, and had that train sound.

    We blocked the boat; pulled the drive; changed the gimbal and put boat back in water and noise was gone. Definitely not the noise you would typically hear from a bad gimbal bearing and no difference with turning, drive up/down, etc. Same noise all the time....

    Other background is this entire transom housing assembly was brand new 2 years ago.

    This was a sealed gimbal bearing (the newer transom assemblies don't even have the holes for the zerk). Seems to me the grease-able bearings have a much longer lifespan but it could be argued the grease tube is a weak point allowing water to enter.

    Just thought I would share the experience as I feel that is your problem. Good Luck!

    Well that part is interesting. Seems like the two of us in this thread have 2 year old gbearings and now your friend did too. 

    So the question now moves on to if it'll run through the 4th of july or not. That's all I really need it to do. 


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