Engine shut down, stuck in FWD

[rickleyard11]

For starters, M25 universal diesel on my Catalina 30 is old and rusty. We were motoring along, at a high rpm trying to outrun a storm. Anyway the engine shut down and sounded like it just froze up. We haven’t had a chance to check on it, but the boat is in gear, and stuck in gear (FWD) so we can’t crank it back up. Any thoughts?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Too little information - oil level? What happens when you crank it over? Have you disengaged the shift cable? Does linkage move? Can you move crankshaft after opening decompression valve?

 

[rickleyard11]

I’ll get back to you.

 

[Ranger_12]

For starters, M25 universal diesel on my Catalina 30 is old and rusty. We were motoring along, at a high rpm trying to outrun a storm. Anyway the engine shut down and sounded like it just froze up. We haven’t had a chance to check on it, but the boat is in gear, and stuck in gear (FWD) so we can’t crank it back up. Any thoughts?

It's possible your transmission is locked up. Mine did. 88 MK11

 

[kloudie1]

or ya caught a big bunch of line or net in the prop.

 

[JoeWhite]

Disconnect the propeller coupling from transmission and try starting with lowest RPM. Is the primary fuel filter clogged?
Haro

 

[Calif. Ted]

We haven’t had a chance to check on it, but the boat is in gear, and stuck in gear (FWD) so we can’t crank it back up

They'll crank and start in gear or neutral, so if it won't crank it's not because it's in gear.

 

[rickleyard11]

For starters, M25 universal diesel on my Catalina 30 is old and rusty. We were motoring along, at a high rpm trying to outrun a storm. Anyway the engine shut down and sounded like it just froze up. We haven’t had a chance to check on it, but the boat is in gear, and stuck in gear (FWD) so we can’t crank it back up. Any thoughts?

It's possible your transmission is locked up. Mine did. 88 MK11

@Ranger_12 sounds like a possibility! How did you fix it? @kloudie1 that too, but the prop is spinning now (heard it moving when we were getting towed).

 

[rickleyard11]

For starters, M25 universal diesel on my Catalina 30 is old and rusty. We were motoring along, at a high rpm trying to outrun a storm. Anyway the engine shut down and sounded like it just froze up. We haven’t had a chance to check on it, but the boat is in gear, and stuck in gear (FWD) so we can’t crank it back up. Any thoughts?

It's possible your transmission is locked up. Mine did. 88 MK11

We haven’t had a chance to check on it, but the boat is in gear, and stuck in gear (FWD) so we can’t crank it back up

They'll crank and start in gear or neutral, so if it won't crank it's not because it's in gear.

@Calif. Ted good to know! This is a new boat. Guy that sold it to me said I need to start it in N

 

[Ranger_12]

@Ranger_12 sounds like a possibility! How did you fix it? @kloudie1 that too, but the prop is spinning now (heard it moving when we were getting towed).

I ordered a New PRM60D transmission the old Hurth 50 is toast

 

[Stu Jackson]

This is a new boat. Guy that sold it to me said I need to start it in N

You do and should. But in extremis you can in other gears.

Engines 101 - The BIGGEST & BEST collection of M25 Series Universal Engine Information on the Internet, plus some M35, too

Diesel Engine - c34.org

 

[rickleyard11]

@Ranger_12 sounds like a possibility! How did you fix it? @kloudie1 that too, but the prop is spinning now (heard it moving when we were getting towed).

I ordered a New PRM60D transmission the old Hurth 50 is toast

@Ranger_12 dang.

 

[rickleyard11]

@Ranger_12 sounds like a possibility! How did you fix it? @kloudie1 that too, but the prop is spinning now (heard it moving when we were getting towed).

I ordered a New PRM60D transmission the old Hurth 50 is toast

This is a new boat. Guy that sold it to me said I need to start it in N

You do and should. But in extremis you can in other gears.

Engines 101 - The BIGGEST & BEST collection of M25 Series Universal Engine Information on the Internet, plus some M35, too

Diesel Engine - c34.org

Thanks!

 

[Capt jgw]

I ordered a New PRM60D transmission the old Hurth 50 is toast

Good move. I'm now finishing my second season on my PRM60D and it's been flawless.

 

[Davidasailor26]

the prop is spinning now (heard it moving when we were getting towed).

Somewhat unrelated to the transmission being stuck in forward, but that’s not a great situation either. Freewheeling the prop while the engine is in forward tends to wear the clutch plates in a Hurth transmission. That’s why you never sail with a Hurth in foreword. Hopefully the duration of the tow wasn’t enough to do any damage there. Once you get the shifting issue sorted make sure the transmission doesn’t slip when it’s in forward. If it does there’s a procedure to roughen the plates back up that involves using diesel as transmission fluid temporarily.

 

[rickleyard11]

the prop is spinning now (heard it moving when we were getting towed).

Somewhat unrelated to the transmission being stuck in forward, but that’s not a great situation either. Freewheeling the prop while the engine is in forward tends to wear the clutch plates in a Hurth transmission. That’s why you never sail with a Hurth in foreword. Hopefully the duration of the tow wasn’t enough to do any damage there. Once you get the shifting issue sorted make sure the transmission doesn’t slip when it’s in forward. If it does there’s a procedure to roughen the plates back up that involves using diesel as transmission fluid temporarily.

Thanks for the heads up!