No Forward Or Reverse???

[loudelectronics]

My 04 24V with MP 6.0 and 460 hours decided that it would not move forward or reverse last night.

We were wakeboarding and when my brother fell I turned and got to him and put into neutral. Put the boat in reverse and heard this clicking noise. Put the boat into forward and same. At this point we limped it back to the boat launch but as i was docking i put it in reverse to adjust and had nothing. Motor just revved freely. Then put in forward and again just revved freely. The clunking sound is gone now that whatever it was on its last leg let go.

The tranny light functions as normal, Everything on the engine is good. I am concerned about the Walter V Drive??? However when we rotate the prop it feels like sound is coming from where the seal is going out the bottom of the boat. Are there any splines or joints that can break under the seal where the packing is?

[zad0030]

I would start by checking all of the throttle and shifting linkages. Have someone poke their head in the engine compartment while someone moves the throttle in and out of gear and watch to make sure the cable is actually shifting the transmission. If you confirm that the lever on the transmission is indeed shifting then I would check your transmission fluid.

The noise you probably hear is coming from the strut. There are bearings in there that are lubricated by water and squeal/screech when the prop is turned out of the water.

[loudelectronics]

I will check that. All seems to work on water though as you can hear it shift as normal. Just no go. The sound I hear turning the shaft is the sound I heard on the water. As you turn the shaft it binds in some spots. Almost like a u joint or something is broke. I am not sure though.

Does the prop shaft go from the prop right through to the v drive connection or is there another connection in the sealed area where it comes through the hull?

[vcb]

Yes i second to make sure your tranny linked is connected. Right on top next to the atf fill.

[boatwakes]

One shaft connection where it mates to the v-drive coupler. Double check the 4 bolts holding the propshaft to the v-drive coupler are still there and not sheared off. If so and everything else checks out with linkage, it's likely a busted drive plate. Keep us posted.

[loudelectronics]

All fluids are OK. Linkages to tranny are OK.

There appears to be slack in the vdrive as the bottom shaft will move before the top one. However you can get them all to spin by turning the prop, even the shaft that goes into the tranny. You can spin the prop freely one revolution and then it binds. You can spin past with a clunk.

Feels like a U joint but not sure as the slack in the drive throws me for a loop.

There was no metal filings in the screen either.

[bigdaddy_houseboater]

All fluids are OK. Linkages to tranny are OK.

There appears to be slack in the vdrive as the bottom shaft will move before the top one. However you can get them all to spin by turning the prop, even the shaft that goes into the tranny. You can spin the prop freely one revolution and then it binds. You can spin past with a clunk.

Feels like a U joint but not sure as the slack in the drive throws me for a loop.

There was no metal filings in the screen either.

You wont see metal in the tranny, but you might see it in the V drive. The tranny is a soft clutch type. The v-drive is straight gear to gear.

[loudelectronics]

You wont see metal in the tranny, but you might see it in the V drive. The tranny is a soft clutch type. The v-drive is straight gear to gear.

Yeah I was talking about the V drive screen. I was never concerned about the tranny at all. Just everyone else was.

The V drive is missing 5 teeth on the bottom and many cracks in about 20th that were about to let go. Top gear has some damage as well.

Time for a new V-drive.

Who was it that said what boat stood for... Break out another thousand. Just in this case a few thousand.

[mjsti]

Yeah I was talking about the V drive screen. I was never concerned about the tranny at all. Just everyone else was.

The V drive is missing 5 teeth on the bottom and many cracks in about 20th that were about to let go. Top gear has some damage as well.

Time for a new V-drive.

Who was it that said what boat stood for... Break out another thousand. Just in this case a few thousand.

Is it common for the vdrives to fail like this? What is their typical life cycle?

[loudelectronics]

Is it common for the vdrives to fail like this? What is their typical life cycle?

I really do not think it is. Our boat was used when we bought it back in 07. It only had 118 hours but have been fixing issues ever since from the previous owner. I thought I had them all figured then this happened. It may or may not had anything to do with them but from the info I have been getting my boat has a history that some are weary of. However I am very confident in the boat. It runs excellent and does everything I ask it to do.

A vdrive will likely last the lifetime of the boat if you take care of it. The oil in mine appeared to be good but was due to be changed after this season. Since my boat was used for a club the first part of its life there were some things neglected on it. There could have been some emergency jams in reverse or whatever. You just do not know when buying used.

Walter Machine is getting me one for Friday so I will be able to do our part in the ski show and continue on with my vacation.

[mjsti]

My '03 seemed to have been taken care of mechanically when I got it, but I went through everything (fluids, filters, tune up parts, etc) just in case. Did your vdrive offer any warning before letting loose? If you don't mind disclosing, how much did the new one set you back?

[loudelectronics]

My '03 seemed to have been taken care of mechanically when I got it, but I went through everything (fluids, filters, tune up parts, etc) just in case. Did your vdrive offer any warning before letting loose? If you don't mind disclosing, how much did the new one set you back?

My boat would miss or stall under heavy acceleration but i chalked that up to bad gas as i have those symptoms every year on the first tank. This year though it sounded like a bad engine knock periodically. I am thinking that was the gears jumping a tooth now. But other than that there was no definitive sign that there was something wrong.

A new v drive will set you back 2400 Plus shipping. in my case that was 500 to have next day. It hurt but i was ready to drop coin for a new boat just to have one for this week.

[mjsti]

Thanks. I'm already gentle with the transmission, but this will make me be extra gentle with her.

[boatwakes]

Insurance may cover that btw.

[socalsynergy]

I just had something simular just happen yesterday at the lake. The boat would not go into forward or reverse. Took the boat to boulder boats and they found that the nut on the end of the prop shaft had come off some how. Just some info to help if anyone runs into this.