Driveline Issues

[JWSutcliffe]

For those of you that have had problems getting into the space behind your engines, you might feel better by comparison after hearing about my fun over the past month.

I had a substantial increase in driveline vibration last fall, and so resolved to replace the cutless bearing and align the engine/shaft before launching this spring. I had a week of vacation time in May, and spent 4 days extricating the old cutless bearing with the usual difficulties cited by others. I ended up having to resort to my sawzall, and of course did some damage to the fiberglass stern tube. I repaired the internal damage (or so I thought) with thickened epoxy and pressed in the new bearing. I had purchased a new stainless steel shaft and PSS dripless seal, and before installing those tried to align the engine. Not surprisingly, the 27 year old engine mounts were in tough shape, and 2 of them had the adjusting nuts seized tight. Having run out of vacation time, and with a 1 1/4 hour drive each way to the boat, I decided to bite the bullet and have the yard finish the job. Much to my surprise, the yard management decided that a CD31 is much too tight for a mechanic to get behind the engine to replace the engine mounts, and declined to take on the job.

In desperationt I applied a liberal dose of PB Blaster and let them sit for two weeks while I was traveling on business. Upon my return to the States, I was disappointed to find that the adjusting nuts did not loosen up - all I was able to do was spin the threaded studs in the rubber portion of the mounts. Since it is far easier to work on the boat while at the slip, rather than scampering up and down a ladder endlessly, we decided to finish the shaft/seal installation and launch. On the 31 there is no pilot berth access, only the cockpit lockers. I have tried many times to no avail to get in there myself, so my understanding (and petite) wife agreed to do the inside work. She finished the installation and I arranged for the yard to launch Oryx last week. Unfortunately I got a call from the yard informing me that upon launching there was a substantial leak "somewhere back by the stern tube" and they hauled her back out. In talking to the yard management I asked if they would undertake the necessary repairs - and was again informed that they didn't have anyone that could fit in there!!!

Last weekend my patient wife again climbed in,
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5874942211/" title="P6262943 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/587 ... 42d3d3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P6262943"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5875502944/" title="P6262944 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3190/587 ... abe808.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P6262944"></a>

and we used the vent line on the PSS seal with a garden hose attached to pressure test the seal and stern tube. Sure enough, there was a stream of water coming out into the drip pan area from between the stern tube OD and the lamination to the hull. For those of you that have a similar setup with the fiberglass stern tube, you know how impossible this area is to reach.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5875503094/" title="P6262945 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/587 ... b8a85c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P6262945"></a>

At this point the plan of action for this weekend is to get my pressure washer into the boat and blast all the accumulated grease and goop out of the area which we can't reach by hand, sand and grind away the paint to expose clean fiberglass, get a few layers of glass cloth and epoxy resin around the aft portion of the stern tube, and then fill the area with Marine Tex epoxy repair putty (thanks Cathy.) If it then passes pressure test we will launch next week (finally!!) and install new engine mounts once the boat is in the slip (thanks Maine Sail for the step-by-step of that procedure.) If not, Oryx gets trailered home and I install a bronze stern tube (and cockpit floor hatch) before next season.

And to think we undertake sailing as a fun activity!

I welcome any suggestions/comments.

[Markst95]

I welcome any suggestions/comments

Don't ever divorce your wife!

[JWSutcliffe]

Another long weekend of work got us to the point where we identified the location of the leak and made substantial progress towards the repair.

Saturday I rigged out my pressure washer and blasted out the sump area under and around the stern tube, to rid the area of 27 years of dirt and grease. Imagine our surprise when we got under there after it was clean and found that there was a huge open void under the stern tube!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5903701462/" title="P7022953 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5311/590 ... 6c83_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="P7022953"></a>

When the hull was built someone forgot to put any laminations (or even hull and deck putty) under the stern tube on the inside. This was OK until I nicked the bottom of the tube replacing the cutless bearing, and opened up a direct leak path into the hull. Of nearly equal concern was the noticeable crack in what little fiberglass was laid over the top of the stern tube. We had essentially nothing structural left on the inboard end of the tube. In this shot taken after pressure washing you can just see the void at the lower left of the stern tube and the crack on the upper left.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5903712172/" title="P7042963 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5112/590 ... 4e51_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P7042963"></a>

After a careful solvent wipe we abraded the entire area thoroughly, and gave it another two solvent wipes before filling the void with thickened Marine Tex putty. After the putty cured we laid in a total of 12 plies of 10 ounce glass cloth and epoxy.

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While things were drying we took the opportunity to jack up the front of the engine, sawzall the seized engine mount, and replace both front mounts.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5903701562/" title="P7022955 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5239/590 ... 39e6_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P7022955"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5903701688/" title="P7022959 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/590 ... 2187_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P7022959"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5903150499/" title="P7022961 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5313/590 ... e9c1_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P7022961"></a>

This week we will replace the two rear engine mounts, pressure test the repair, and if it passes reinstall the driveline bits and pieces. Hoping to launch in 1 week.

[Ron M.]

JW, I found a rather large void below my sterntube while changing out the cutlass bearing. it became exposed when I ground the area to access the set screws. I think I stuffed a quart of milled fibers/epoxy to fill it.
________
Marijuana Dispensary

[JWSutcliffe]

Oryx got launched today, finally! Absolutely no leaks in the offending stern tube or the new PSS seal. The marina personnel were impressed with our repairs.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5928436591/" title="P7112982 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6006/592 ... aec4_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P7112982"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23556334@N05/5928436721/" title="P7112983 by jw9714, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/592 ... ffb5_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P7112983"></a>

Now all we have to do is finish the engine alignment.

[johnny of STORK]

I had a similar, though less serious, leak on STORK. Apparently, the builders were pretty shoddy in their filling around the stern tube area, and mine had a seep that drove me crazy for about 10 years before I finally traced it down.

Johnny

[Gary M]

Hi JWSutcliffe,

Very impressive the whole way around.

Your found the problem.

Knew the solution.

Initiated repair.

Involved your wife.

Completed another project "in your spare time."

Successful outcome.

I'll have to admit I would have been getting a bid from the Yard!

You both deserve a great sailing season!

Gary

[Warren S]

Cutlass bearing on the 270 is way overdue. I'm guessing the engine will have to be dismounted and moved forward.

[JWSutcliffe]

She said I can't rent her out, sorry. Besides, I already have plans for her refinishing teak!