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Crusaders with Water in Tranny Please help

D

discobayken

Regular Contributor
"my boat is a 1985 34' cru

"my boat is a 1985 34' cruisers Inc with twin 454 350hp, inboards.

last year I had a problem with my fresh water system as one of the hoses blew and pumped about 2ft of fresh water from the hose into my bilge. I got the water pumped out OK and everything seemed fine. I checked all fuids, etc and no water appeared to get in... (I've put about 20 hours on her since that episode last summer with no trouble). obviously some water did get in the tranny because my starboard tranny fluid is now milky pink .... I didnt realize it until I was underway this weekend when I heard this loud whining sound from the tranny....(like it would make when you shift into REV...only much louder). Then I checked the fluid and and it was milky...DAMN!

It appears to still work fine except for the intermittent loud whining sound in FWD at about 2300-2700 rpm. I babied her into the marina...the sound came and went...but it never slipped or anything else...

I need to know a) have I ruined my tranny? B) what do I do now? (besides the obvious of changing the fluid...). Do I call a mechanic to check it out? Do I change the fluid and try again? Please Help!

Thanks! Ken"
 
"Hi Ken, I would check the tra

"Hi Ken, I would check the tranny cooler. A bad cooler will give you milky fluid and will destroy the trans for sure. Why dont you drain the trans, refill it and see if the fluid stays clear. When my cooler went it took the trans with it, but maybe you'll get lucky. Stu"
 
"Thanks Stu, I'll try that

"Thanks Stu, I'll try that. Just to prepare me for a worse case... how much is a new tranny/cooler?"
 
"When my trans went (a War

"When my trans went (a Warner Velvet Drive}I rebuilt it myself. It's been a long time but all I needed was seals, clutches and gaskets. I bought them from a dealer in Freeport. I don't recall but it wasn't that expensive. The cooler was a couple of hundred. Stu"
 
"No--it is external and in the

"No--it is external and in the water piping system.

You'll need a vacuum pump to suck the oil out--and several times over--before you run it again. THose are tough trannies, so you might be okay.

Jeff"
 
Thanks Jeff: I'm heading

Thanks Jeff: I'm heading to San Francisco now for the 4th...I'll check it out. Happy and safe 4th to all! Ken
 
"Update: I changed the trans f

"Update: I changed the trans fluid and it appears to be clear now....not milky anymore...BUT, it is making a sound when I engage in fwd...at low rpm it sounds like a box of rocks. when I increase the rpm the sound just about disappears. Tranny appears fine except for that. Shifts fine, no slippage, etc. Obviously something is still wrong though. Any ideas on what it could be?

Also, by the way...my packing nut was also VERY loose and water was pouring in.....I tightened it and it seems OK as well. Any clues (or links) on "how to" replace the packing? could the sound be from there? Thanks!"
 
"Hi Ken, Your trans problem ma

"Hi Ken, Your trans problem may not be a problem at all. There was a recent discussion re trans noise and the opinion was it was caused by low/rough engine idle and not a trans flaw. As far as the packing issue don't overtighten it or you will burn your shaft. The packing can be replaced without hauling. There is even a tool that looks like a corkscrew that is designed just for that purpose. Here is the link to the trans thread. Stu
http://www.marineengine.com/discus/messages/12489/81574.shtml"
 
Thanks Stu! I'll keep on

Thanks Stu! I'll keep on eye on that link and situation as well. Anyone else have any ideas on the "box of rocks" noise coming from my tranny? and/or links/help with regard to changing the packing? How do I know when its tight enough or too tight? Thanks all!
 
"The noise is quite normal AT

"The noise is quite normal AT IDLE. If it remains above idle, there is cause for concern."
 
Rick: It may be quite normal b

Rick: It may be quite normal but its a new noise to my boat. It never made that noise at idle in the past... Now I'm thinking it could be a shaft berring. Is that possible? the "box of rocks" noise is new and so was the high pitched squeeling sound it made at higher RPMS. Could a shaft berring or packing problem cause that? Thank you to all!
 
"Ken, I believe you failed to

"Ken, I believe you failed to mention the squealing noise. That's definitely not normal. It sounds like a pump, but as long as you are sure it's not prop squeal or a cutlass bearing I would yank it out and have it gone over."
 
"Rick: I mentioned the whinin

"Rick: I mentioned the whining noise in my first post in the thread. Maybe it was a squeal? I dont know for sure.....

[It appears to still work fine except for the intermittent loud whining sound in FWD at about 2300-2700 rpm. I babied her into the marina...the sound came and went...but it never slipped or anything else...]

How do I tell at this point if it was prop squeal or a cutlass bearing?

Like I mentioned before...the packing nut was very loose when it made that sound and after I tightened it, the whine (or squeal) appeared to be gone. (but its still making the box of rocks sound at low RPM) At this point I'm not sure I should run it much further for fear of messing it up more. Should I run her and see how she goes or have her looked at? Any tips on re-packing the shaft and/or diagnosing the cutlass bearing would be appreciated. Thanks!"
 
"Well, you gotta climb down th

"Well, you gotta climb down there while someone is running the boat. Sometimes you can tell just by touching it but I have found a a mechanics stethoscope to be a very helpful tool for locating noises. Obviously you can't listen to the prop or strut, but you can certainly listen to the transmission. Prop squeal seldom transfers into the engine room but you can put it on your shaft log. You can also try loosening the packing a bit. Too loose is better than too tight, just confirm that your pumps are working properly and are free of debris.

Good luck,
Rick"
 
Thanks Rick: My mechanic agree

Thanks Rick: My mechanic agrees about the packing and adds that the noises could also be caused from the motor/shaft being out of alignment as well. Does that make sense?
 
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