AQ131A275 Outdrive Noise and Loose V Belt

[brian_zim]

"I am new to boating, and I re

"I am new to boating, and I recently purchased a 1986 19.5 ft Bayliner with a AQ131A/275 engine and outdrive. It has only about 200 hours on it, but when I am driving the boat over 3000 rpm I notice a lot more noise apparently coming from the outdrive when the steering wheel is in centered. When I turn the wheel just left or right enough to feel the load on the wheel, the outdrive is much quieter. Is this a problem? Is it possible the universal joint in the outdrive is going out? I have the Seloc Manual, and have downloaded the owners manual, and it says that the universal joint is supposed to be lifetime maintenance free. The previous owner said at one point he noticed the oil in the outdrive looking milky, so he had the whole thing resealed.

Also, the accessory drive V belt that drives the water pump (fresh water/antifreeze side) and the alternator seems loose. It is at the end of it's tightening range and last time I ran the boat the voltmeter was only around 13V, and the engine wouldn't idle after the boat had been operating at moderate speed for an hour or so, and (it also made a sqealing sound when started). The engine stayed cool (contsantly at 175 once running for a few minutes) and restarted fine once it cooled off a bit and I tightend the belt as much as I could (very little). Is this just a worn out belt or does it have more serious problems?"

 

[el_pescador]

"Brian,

It is incorrect th

"Brian,

It is incorrect that the universal joint is lifetime maintenance free, unless they mean that the sealed u-joints bearings do last maintenance free until the end of "their" life (not yours

). Most of the U-joints you can get nowadays do have a zerk fitting, and it is wise to grease them every couple of years or so, depending on the boat usage. Most of the noises in the area you describe originate either from the u-joints or from the bellhousing bearing. Look at the area where the top of the bellhousing meets the transom shield, there should be a grease cup or a zerk fitting to grease the bellhousing bearing. Try to put some grease and see if the noise goes away.

The problem with a "new to you" boat is that, in absence of records, you only have the seller's word reagrding its history and condition. And while some sellers are honest, many are not; that's why many times is useful to hire a marine surveyor to inspect a boat prior to buying it. It seems to me that 200 hours in 21 years is very much on the low side. Personally, and if I intended to keep that boat, I would consider doing some preventive maintenance just to be on the safe side. For example, I would pull the outdrive and at the very least replace the u-joints, the bellows, and the water hose connector (if it shows signs of corrosion). And while the outdrive is out, I would remove the bellhousing clamp, disconnect the engine wiring harness, piping, exhaust and cooling hoses and pull it far enough to remove the bellhousing so that the bearing and the two lip seals in the bellhousing can be replaced. After putting the engine back, I would also replace the timing belt and make sure the gears are not pitted. If they are, I would renew them for otherwise the timing belt will not last. Then, I would examine the pulleys and make sure they are not pitted; and if they are, replace them or the new alternator belt will not last. And it would not hurt having a look at the condition of the raw water pump impeller and seal, as well as the exhaust manifold. If there is a lot of corrosion or scale buildup around the water ports in the riser side of the manifold, it is usually best to replace it, because the scale will reduce or stop the raw water flow and the manifold can become perforated at any time.

The above may sound like a lot, but peace of mind has its price.

Regarding the accessory belt, it seems to me that the belt is either stretched or the wrong size. When you replace it, I suggest you give a try to Dayco Top Cog belts: they are the ones that have given me the best results regarding durability.

The engine not starting after idling for a long time sound like too rich idle mixture. When it happens again, with the engine in neutral, put the speed control lever at about 3/4 throttle (so that there is a lot of air going into the engine) and try starting again; it may take 3-5 seconds, but chances are it will start with no problems."