Loss of Power and Vibration

[Stoneman]

I recently bought a 2002 20i Direct Drive. Last month I made the mistake of running over a sand bar at the river and the prop (Acme 3 blade) didn't survive. So I switched over to my spare (Acme 4 blade). After doing this I noticed a slight vibration and loss of power, primarily during the hole shot when pulling a rider. This only lasted for a few seconds each time and everything else seemed to be fine. I thought the prop might be cavitating. I got my 3 blade fixed and put it back on. Now the problem is even worse. Not as bad as with the bent prop, but bad. I have a major loss of power and vibration every time that I accelerate with or without a rider. It happens during the hole shot and/or whenever I quickly accelerate at all speeds. It last anywhere from 3-4 seconds up to 30 seconds.

The props are straight and spin freely by hand. The drive shaft looks straight with no visible damage. The tracking fins do appear to be out of alignment. When looking from the back the front 2 are off center bent to the right. The third (rear) fin appears to be straight. Would this cause the problem I described? What else could it be?

Does anyone know how/where I can get it quickly diagnosed? I'm in San Diego and the boats at Martinez Lake/Colorado River (Yuma, Az.) The boat is new to me, so I don't have a mechanic yet. Can you recommend one that does not have a huge waiting list at this time of year? Thanks.

[Tequilasun]

I would think that it might be a bent strut, or the propshaft is bent slightly. You really need to have it looked at, because vibrations of any kind can really throw stuff out of whack, and get expen$ive.

I guess if the bent tracking fins where throwing "dirty" water to the prop, it could have a similar effect. I'm second guessing that as I type it though.

I don't have an idea for a dealer, but I would strongly recommend getting it looked at.

[delongheavyhaul]

does it vibrate worse at higher speeds? or can you feel it at low speeds too? the fins may be your problem. how is your steering? does it vibrate worse if you turn left or right? just trying to think of stuff!

[Stoneman]

It only vibrates/loses power upon quick acceleration...like when your taking off from a dead stop (pulling a rider, leaving the no wake zone, etc.) or when you quickly increase the speed, giving it full throttle. The first scenario happens just about every time...the second scenario happens frequently but not every time and has only become noticiable since switching back to the 3 blade prop.

Steering is unaffected...turns no problem.

The fins were definately bent. A lot more than they ever used to be and a lot more than the ones on my neighbors boat (although it's a Malibu with only 2 fins.)

I read somehting on a prior thread about the transmission fluid being low...what do you think? I have'nt checked that.

[smendez]

This one seems easy. Straighten the fins. If it stops vibrating - you're done. If it keeps doing it - You'll need to take your boat to your dealer.

Hopefully it's just the fins.

To find a dealer, call Tige directly at (325) 676-7777 and ask them for a dealer referral either close to your house or close to your boat. They'll take care of you.

Best of Luck

[Stoneman]

Straightening the fins will definately be a step in the right direction. The next question is how do you do that? I've seen some posts talking about hitting them with a mallet and others saying that it will take more force than that. Does anyone have any experience with this? In the event that this does not work...does anybody else out there have any suggestions?

[Stoneman]

In the event that this is a bent drive shaft / prop shaft...does anybody have any idea how much that's gonna cost me (ballpark)? and how long it might take to replace it (if I can get an appointment)?

By the way I know Tige MD is no longer on the site...but is there anybody from any dealership monitoring that can throw in their opinion on this problem? Thanks.

[flackpack]

I suggest a call to Tige Watersports in Corona. They are your closest dealer, and even over the phone, they can give you an idea of costs, and sometimes solve the problem for you. Most of the techs there are top notch, even without Tige' MD guiding them. Creating a good relationship with these guys will make your Tige' ownership much better.

[jl470]

As I have recently found out. It takes an awful lot of BANG to bend a shaft.
The repaired 3 blade could still cause vibration. The fins will definitly be a problem. Are they bent or just out of alignment? If they are bent, replace them. Also you need to check the alignment of motor/trans to driveshaft to through hull. If that is off you will have vibration.
Also if the strut is bent even slightly you WILL have vibration and resistance both of which are very bad in the near future!
There is a Tige dealer in AZ.I'm not sure where exactly but I'm sure it's close to the river. This time of year it's going to be hard to get a quick turn around at any dealer.
When you doget it into the shop I suggest putting a packless system on It's worth the money in knowing you only have to lube it 1-2 times a year and the shaft will already be out so labor $ goes down a bit.

Good Luck & let us know how it turns out.
If I can help anymore e-mail me at john@wakesiderides.com

[Stoneman]

A big thanks to Tige Watersports in Corona, Ca. After helping me troubleshoot the problem over the phone with no success, they took the boat in and got it back to me within a week. Turns out the strut was bent (they replaced it), prop shaft was OK, prop was good, tracking fins were actually out of alignment and they were able to straighten them out as well. They also put the engine back into alignment, replaced two leaking o-rings in the transmission and made sure all fuel systems were functioning. All this for $700 (in and out of the shop without spending $1000...AMAZING!) I got the boat back in the water for a quick water test and everything seems to be back to normal. Thanks Byron, turns out the drive from San Diego to Corona was well worth it.