Ford 351 in 89 Supra

" I changed the oil and filter

" I changed the oil and filter today to get my boat ready for the summer season. While running the boat out of the water, using my garden hose for cooling, I noticed that the prop was turning. The throttle was in the neutral position and not engaged. Is this common on these boats? The prop was not turning very fast and I played with the throttle to make sure it was not in gear. This is my first summer with this boat. Looking for some information. "

How fast was idle? This is a

How fast was idle? This is a straight inboard isn't it? Find it hard to believe the shaft spins with a dry strut bearing. See if there is play in the strut bearing. What trans do you have?

I have essentially the same se

I have essentially the same setup in my boat. The prop spins under these conditions. Not good for the cutlass bearing so limit the time you do it or block the prop or shaft from turning or shoot some aerosol lube on the bearing while it's turning.

"That's fairly common for

"That's fairly common for inboards. You probably have a Hurth or Warner transmission, maybe a Velvet Drive. As they age, the clutch packs warp slightly and this is the result. If you spray the strut and cutlass with PB Blaster or something, it'll keep it from getting terribly hot, but I would limit the run time in gear.

If you have the motor off and turn the prop manually, you should have some resistance. If it turns really freely, the packing is loose and probably glazed, and the strut bearings are probably worn. You may notice that it squeals when you put it in gear running it on the hose- that's the strut bearings. Don't worry about them unless you hear a droning sound when it's running in the water and you made a turn."