Limp mode...

[DannyL]

We hit Lake Champlain today with our Islander 191 and things were going GREAT, great weather, great lake, great time!

On the way back i was running probably 20-mph and it was as if the motor jumped into neutral and the revs shot up,

I shut her down quick not knowing what happened.

Lifted the Alpha and checked to see if I drop the propeller or something and everything looked normal.

So I tried to get her to plane and the revs would shoot up after about 2k. So we limped back to the dock at a blazing

10-12 mph. At some point when trying to plane, the engine was turning what I felt (sounded) was a 3000-3200 rpm but the tach was in the 4000+ range.

 

Did some diggin' when I got home and spun prop was one of possibilities. Pulled it off and it look normal, I think, I'm no prop expert.

 

So I'm not sure what the problem is, any ideas?

 

Here's the prop:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bpz6mja7xfokae6/prop_2.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ipvh7y68t3om801/Prop_1.jpg

Edited July 16, 2013 by DannyL

[Chas0218]

Put the lower in gear and grab the prop with a set of work gloves and give her a twist make sure you are turning it in the direction of the gear selector (clockwise forward and counter clockwise reverse).

Sent from the awesomeness of Chas!

[DannyL]

Put the lower in gear and grab the prop with a set of work gloves and give her a twist make sure you are turning it in the direction of the gear selector (clockwise forward and counter clockwise reverse).

Sent from the awesomeness of Chas!

Tried that and it doesn't seem to slip at all.

[CaptSpike]

Sounds like the prop, or at least have that checked first. I had an issue with my prop, a Michagan Vortex, where the hub assy used a two piece part for the shaft. That separated and the only thing holding my prop was the pressure between the nut and the thrust washer. When I tried to move it by hand the motor would turn (4 stroke). However when trying to run up on plane it would rev up like the motor was skipping. So it obviously had enough strength to turn the motor when I checked it and not enough to push the boat as required. Yours may be in the same situation. Change the prop and check it out. Some prop places will have one you can try to make sure it is that. If not a spare is a good thing. It could be something else but I'd start there.

Let us know how you make out.

[Shellback]

Most Merc's run a Flo Torque hub. If you remove the prop, you should be able to tell if the plastic insert is broken.If you don't have a flo torque hub, scratch a mark from the hub to the prop. Give the boat a run. If the marks don't line up, you spun the hub. Can't see your pictures, access is locked.

[Big Dave]

Sounds like the prop hub,  If it was the coupler the motor would heat up and you couldn't limp in.

[rustyrat]

Prop.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[DannyL]

I think I have a spare in the livewell, keeps it fresh.... No that's where the PO stored it, wasn't a fisherman...

[CaptSpike]

I think I have a spare in the livewell, keeps it fresh.... No that's where the PO stored it, wasn't a fisherman...

 

 

Who needs a livewell when your killin and chillin, LOL.

 

Spike

[YodaMage]

Viagara fixes Limp Mode I hear 

[DannyL]

Viagara fixes Limp Mode I hear 

Could be I'm not at that stage yet! lol

[Trap Jaw]

Don't forget about the coupling on the bell housing.  Same thing, just harder to fix.  If the prop is fine I'd have that checked out.  Isn't a do-it-yourself project, requires pulling the motor or the outdrive.

[DannyL]

I fixed the links of the prop in my first post, take a look and let me know what you think!

 

I'm leaning towards the coupler behind engine.....

 

 

[Shellback]

That's a Flo Torque hub. Do you have these 3 parts? Large plastic piece goes into the back of the prop. Large brass stepped washer goes onto the back after the plastic piece. The smaller part of the step goes inside the prop hub. The last brass piece has splines on the inside to engage the prop shaft, and the square outside splines engage in the grooves of the plastic piece. This piece goes on last from the outside. I'm not seeing the brass splined piece in your pictures. Looking at the plastic insert in your picture, it doesn't look damaged.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Shellback

[Ray]

Sounds like the prop hub,  If it was the coupler the motor would heat up and you couldn't limp in.

Agreed....if it was the coupler, the motor would over heat and you would not have reached the dock without a tow.

[DannyL]

UPDATE:

 

The prop is a Flo Torque hub and is in great shape, It was installed with the proper parts.

I drained a bit of the oil for the leg to see for metal shavings ar other surprises. Clean as a whistle,

Since it had shifted and acted normal at the docks moving it around , I was pretty sure it wasn't that.

Next, I pulled the leg, came apart without even a struggle. 

U-joint assembly (drive-shaft?) looks brand new. PO told me h had work done just before selling the boat.

I remember him saying bellows and bla bla (non-boat owner at the time ie:newbie) had just been changed.

Bellows does look clean and the collar looks new.

So I stripped the innards around the engine and I'm ready to dive in.

 

I'm ordering a coupler, alignment bar, hinge pin socket and trim sensors so far,

After researching a bit I might spring for a prop too that way I'll have a good spare. 

 

Turn out the one n the live well is crap.

 

I'll be dragging it to my work shop and using the fork lift to lift and spin her engine.

 

So any advice??? lol (other than don't drop it!)

 

Oh almost forgot, no the engine did not over heat on the way back, I was keeping and eye on it and it turns out 

so was my wife!!!

Edited July 21, 2013 by DannyL

[Trap Jaw]

Why would it overheat?  You're still turning the outdrive, otherwise you wouldn't be moving. It's operating as though at a fast idle.  

 

I brought it up because same thing happened with an old boat that had the 140 Mercruiser.  No good reason for it, just running along on a flat day and zing.

 

Did you physically check the prop though.  It looks OK but that doesn't mean that it didn't spin.  

[Chas0218]

Why would it overheat? You're still turning the outdrive, otherwise you wouldn't be moving. It's operating as though at a fast idle.

I brought it up because same thing happened with an old boat that had the 140 Mercruiser. No good reason for it, just running along on a flat day and zing.

Did you physically check the prop though. It looks OK but that doesn't mean that it didn't spin.

If he was over heating by not turning the out drive wouldn't that mean the coupler is shot?

Sent from the awesomeness of Chas!

[DannyL]

Why would it overheat?  You're still turning the outdrive, otherwise you wouldn't be moving. It's operating as though at a fast idle.  

 

I brought it up because same thing happened with an old boat that had the 140 Mercruiser.  No good reason for it, just running along on a flat day and zing.

 

Did you physically check the prop though.  It looks OK but that doesn't mean that it didn't spin.  

I was simply responding to someone saying something about overheating. You are correct about if the prop turns the pump turns.

As for the prop insert I have a picture here https://www.dropbox.com/s/2un7k16chz9bnt8/P1030437.JPG

It has small cracks in the corners but that's it. 

 

While I'm new to boating, I've been building cars and trucks since I've been 18 years old. I was an industrial mechanic for 12 years and worked on pretty much anything that moved. I don't think boats are any different than anything else I've worked on except it's new to me, so i'm learning as I go. I'm asking advice and ideas to cut down the downtime. I share a wealth of information everyday with people (phone and net) about off-road vehicles and custom buggies because that is my real  business, I'm the owner of a 4x4 shop and but to be honest I wanted a change so I thought I'd take up fishing,...

 

Thx for your time.

[Ray]

I was trolling a few years ago and my coupler went...  the coupler gears were gone, therefore, I could not limp in and it would not turn the outdrive, therefore instant overheating.   Now, I have kicker motor on the boat! 

Edited July 22, 2013 by Ray

[DannyL]

I was trolling a few years ago and my coupler went...  the coupler gears were gone, therefore, I could not limp in and it would not turn the outdrive, therefore instant overheating.   Now, I have kicker motor on the boat! 

I picked up a 8 HT Yamaha and I'm just waiting to get a bracket for it and I too will safe® in the future.

My priorities have changed a bit ........

Edited July 22, 2013 by DannyL

[DannyL]

Ok so I dragged my boat to my shop and pulled the engine assuming it's the coupler.....

 

Well here are some pictures and looks like I'm barking up the wrong tree!

 

Rubber  https://www.dropbox.com/s/z4w36azn5dibyl9/IMAG0227.jpg

 

Splines  https://www.dropbox.com/s/8e5wrilf2muspfh/IMAG0222.jpg

 

I'm not sure what a burnt coupler looks like, but I don't think it's like mine.

 

So it's looks like it between the prop shaft and the drive shaft.....

 

On a good note, I pull the leg and motor in about 45 minutes!

 

I had some old "parts" lying around that came in handy to be able to grab the engine out of the back of the boat.

 

"parts" https://www.dropbox.com/s/2acfw2wbcl2rtpp/IMAG0231.jpg

 

So the saga continues......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Big Dave]

Bad coupler has no splines in it.  They are cleaned off when it slips, thats why wyouwouldn't be able to limp in.

[DannyL]

Bad coupler has no splines in it.  They are cleaned off when it slips, thats why wyouwouldn't be able to limp in.

 

Bad coupler has no splines in it.  They are cleaned off when it slips, thats why wyouwouldn't be able to limp in.

So you agree the coupler is fine.....?

[Ray]

So you agree the coupler is fine.....?

I agree with Big Dave...coupler would have no splines....yours appears to have splines.  I hope you get this figured out sooner than later.