Messages

Very nice! I like the i70s.  I find them beefy but functional.  They have a nice screen and are easy to read.

Do you find them difficult to read from that distance?  That's one thing I like about having them on the helm; they are easy to read and change the display with the up/down multifunction buttons.

pby : Empty the bilge!! 

Then take a piece of paper towel and wrap it around each and EVRY hose connection!!!  Operate the boat so all of the functions under the galley sink have water flowing thru them.

Then check each for wetness!!   

A thought

Good idea! I can't move it right now but I can certainly do the dishes! 

Here is another possibility... the temp and pressure valve on the hot water tank releases water out of the tank when water temp or pressures get too high.  When you run the boat's engine, you heat the water enough to expand its volume and thus raise the pressure in the hot water loop.  The T&P valve will open slightly and bleed off some of this pressure and some of the water as well.  Since your tank is likely older, the hose that came with the tank's T&P valve has long since disappeared so now the water drips onto the raw plywood shelf Catalina made to hold the tank.  This water gets discolored by the plywood and eventually ends up in the bilge.

Hmm! Now that is interesting.  I know there is only a hose on the drain as I put it there.  There is no hose on the pressure release.  I wondered if the discolouration was the wood.  You get the same thing with leaking deck hardware...

Rusty water from leaking hot water heater would be my first guess.
Jim

Huh.  It's not there all the time.  This is the second time I've seen it.  Nothing when I leave the boat for a couple of weeks, but when we come back in sometimes it's there.

Mind you... when she's flat and calm nothing is going to 'spill' over will it?  Underway she's a rockin and rolling... does the hot water tank sit in a tray?

One catch... the hot water absolutely stinks at the moment.  Like sulphur.  This doesn't smell like anything.

Hi pbyrne,
The pictures don't help. They don't show the joint between the transmission and the bell housing on the back of the engine. If you can see bolts that look like they will allow you to unbolt the transmission from the back of the engine, the engine doesn't need to come out. If you can't see any bolts, it's mounted from the inside and the engine must come out. I recall there was a good write up about removing the transmission to replace the damper plate without pulling the pack on the C350 website. Here it is.

http://www.catalina350.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=685

It wasn't applicable to me and may not be to you either but it's worth a look.

Thanks, I'll mention it to the mechanic.  I'm nowhere near the boat ATM.

Would bad fluid cause this?

No.  But dark burned fluid would be a sign of slipping clutches.
Jim

Ok, what's the steps to replace the clutches..?

So the mechanic had a look at it.  Initial assessment is that the transmission is nosier in forward than it should be, but shaft rotation was CORRECT.

He was able to reproduce my experience and messed around with it for a bit, and the boat started to go forward and reverse.

Transmission may need some clutches (maybe a damper fix, someone tell me how to tell the difference, its just 'rattely' in forward, but doesn't seem to slip), but at the moment it looks like the PROP may be the issue.

Do any of these photos help with what the approach would be to remove the transmission?  It's going to have to be a pro that does it.  I live 2 hours away from the boat, and get there every couple of weekends.   I'm not in a position to do the work myself, so anything that I can help rely to the fella who's going to do it would be helpful.

I found the fluid in the picture in the bildge twice now and it is coming from under the galley.  I've checked the connections for the plumbing of the galley and I can't find anything.

The fluid doesn't smell like anything.  Which makes me think it's water, but it's not clear.  I though maybe the sink was leaking, and it's coffee grinds but no scent.

Any ideas, or where to look further?

Oh no.    Transmission problems are one of the things that concerns me. The main reason is I don't know of any inspection or checks that warn of an impending failure.
I would check the fluid for level, color and smell.  Should be light red and not smell burnt, best to check with it against a sample of new fluid (left over from last change).  Then check the cables and cable adjustment that it moves the lever on the transmission correctly.  I believe that's all that can be done without removing the beast. 
One caution, it may work cold at the dock and fail only when it's hot.  The transmission shouldn't get any warmer than the engine block. 
Hope it's an easy fix.
Jim

Would bad fluid cause this? The fluid is from last season, but very little hours as we had just moved the boat, and didn't take it out much at all.  Maybe 8 hours? This season to date maybe 20 hours?

I had my wife shift between FWD/REV and I watched all the linkages, including connection from the lever to the shaft into the transmission to make sure the shaft into the transmission itself was moving.  Thing to keep in mind is that it does engage in FWD (and sounds normal) and does go into REV (doesn't sound right) but the boat moves forward in BOTH positions.

There is a variprop 3 blade feathering prop, which maybe that isn't changing pitch?  I didn't think to check the shaft rotation in REV, but in the video (above) there is something very rattel-y that isn't there normally.

What does it take to remove the transmission? The engine hours show 920 hours so this whole thing is very frustrating.

Checked the fluid level?

Checked in the spring, and was good.  No signs of any leakage.  It was too hot to check, not scortching, just hotter than I was willing to open and take my chances with it on my skin.

Not sure what transmission you have but if it's a Hurth ZF10 it could be time for a replacement...I hope not. Our Ericson had a ZF10 that went bad. The guys from the factory called them the "1000 hour transmission" because they were known to fail at that many hours.

That being said, we put a brand new (in 2007) ZF10 that was still flawless when we sold the boat last fall (well over 1,000 new hours).

Perhaps it could be a linkage issue. Have someone stand at the helm and shift from forward to reverse while you look at the cable and linkage. It could be that the bracket that holds the cable to the transmission housing came off...

Ironically, the engine has 920 hours logged.  I did exactly what you said, and had my wife shift while I inspected the linkage, and the connections, including the connection to the shaft that goes into the transmission.  They all appeared good to me.

Photo of Transmission model and a couple of videos.  I don't see anything wrong with the linkage, but the sounds the transmission/engine is making in neutral is not what it normally sounds like.  Something soungs 'rattley'.

https://youtube.com/shorts/427HSVWaLsk?feature=share
https://youtube.com/shorts/6pg4adHzD8I?feature=share

Came into the fuel dock and shifted into reverse to slow the boat down and to my surprise it increased speed.

After a hair raising, bounce off the fuel dock and a panic stop I had a chance to test things out.

Shifts into forward and that seems normal, but shift into reverse and goes forward as well. There are also some notices that weren't there before.

I'll up load a video to YT ASAP but thought I'd ask you folks now anyways.

[B]

pby : The first thing you need to do is like Ken mentioned - take off the belt and see if you have wobble in the pulley shaft.  Maybe you don't need a new pump!!

On tightening/tensioning the belt - on my new M25XPBengine I can't use the belt tensioner that I had for the old M25XP engine. I am able to push on the alternator with one hand and then tighten the bolt with the other.  I can't fit the belt tensioner in anymore!!  (I've got the older large case Balmar alternator)

A few thoughts

I can hear a slight clicking sounds when a over the pump up and down it's a very slight noise but it's there. Also nothing is coming out of the weeping hole (I had the paper in) and after I cleaned up the discolouration in the photos with CLR there has been no further discolouration.

I'm a bit puzzled at this point...