Damaged Gearcase?

[Jock The Rock]

Gday

Just bought myself a new second hand boat the other day, 4.3 Stacer with a 30hp Honda

I decided to take it fishing this afternoon in the local river. It seems that the recent floods have created a few hidden barways

I did kind of hit one of these on the way home :-[

The prop took a little bit of a battering but didn't bend at all, after taking the boat out of the water. I spun the prop with my finger, it seems to turn fine so I can assume the shaft isn't bent. Spinning the prop one way everything sounds fine, spinning it the opposite way produces a tick sound every so often.

What are the chances I've plucked a tooth off in the gearbox?

Thanks

Jock

[Gon Fishun]

Don't despair yet Jock. I have 3 outboards that do this and are in perfect working order.:) I have no idea why as I have not pulled one apart. But feel sure that some of the boys here will be able to enlighten you.
Regards.
Bob.

[cormorant]

Pull the plug and drain the oil and confirm there is no shrapnel in the box. Refill with oil and go from there.

The clicking could be the clutch dog or the prop hub rubbing on the gearcase.. Pull the prop off and then spin shaft with fingers. It is quite a noticeable feeling when there is a badly chipped tooth and you need to drop the box with waterpump off to feel it - unless it is several teeth- you hear that. At that point it is quick to pull teh front carrier out of teh box and check anyway. Props may look Ok but don't take kindly to rocks so if it doesn't perform or is bent replace it.

Spaniard no doubt will comment

[tunaticer]

Chances of damaging the gearbox is pretty slim, prop hubs are rubber mounted to absorb the damaging effect from reaching the gears themselves. I know my donk has found way more than its fair share of underwater obstacles and quite a few at full noise. Gearbox is fine but it is now on its 6th or 7th prop. Pull the drain plug from the gearbox and check for any metal slivers if you are really suspect of damages. I leave the top plug in to maintain the vacuum effect to stop dropping all the oil, then push into the drain hole a magnetised piece of wire and wriggle it a bit, that will pick up any obvious ferrous shards for inspection. If nothing shows, top the box up with oil and reseat the plugs.

Also pays to give the lower leg a decent bit of a pull and shove to check the lower engine mounts, they can part and you will not notice it until the top mounts give way too. I just replaced my lower leg engine mounts again because 'i found another submerged something at full noise a short while ago.

[Jock The Rock]

Thanks for the replies

We dropped the oil the other night and it didn't look to bad, so we topped it up again. What a bugger of a job that was :-?

Took it for a spin down at Coles Bay over the weekend and it still seems to go alright

All good I say

Thanks again