Engine Siezure Mystery

Tom J · Apr 25, 2012

Something stuck in the shaft log maybe? Might help to unbolt the coupling flanges and slide the prop shaft as far back as you can, and inspect the surfaces of the prop shaft.

gpdno · Apr 26, 2012

With the engine off and the tranny in neutral does the prop/shaft freely rotate?

Old Skool Neil · Apr 26, 2012

I'm pretty sure the stuffing box is too tight. As a test, loosen it to the point it leaks water without the shaft turning, then tighten the locknut. Run the engine in gear and see if there's a difference.

Bet there is.

Caydreamin · Apr 30, 2012

Sorry Kallen, I don't think I have an answer for you, but I certainly commiserate with you. I think we are in the same boat (pun intended). I have the same problem so I'm looking forward to hearing how this is resolved.

I've noticed that mine seems to be water temp dependent. For example in winter, I don't have a problem at all but in the summer the problem is very regular. I've tried adjusting the reversing gear, but that doesn't help. Checked the cutlass bearing, that doesn't seem to be the problem. That's about as far as I've gotten on the trouble shoot.

Good luck and if you find a resolution, please post.

celticwinds · May 1, 2012

engine siezure

Kallen said:
I am struggling with a perplexing mystery. A customer's Catalina 27 with an Universal diesel will crank and run ok but when the transmission is shifted into forward or reverse, after about 2 minutes at any rpm, something siezes and it kills the engine. Shift into neutral and the engine recranks immediately and it will run indefinately. I first repacked the stuffing box....no help. Then I removed the transmission and sent it off for overhaul...no help. Today I dove on the boat to check the prop/shaft and found it clean with no lines or debris.
When running in gear there is a high-pitched squeel 2-4 seconds before it siezes the engine. If anyone has ever experienced this please let me know how you solved the problem. My current next move is to have the boat hauled and do a visual check of the cutlass bearing while the shaft is turning. Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

celticwinds · May 1, 2012

take the prop shaft loose at the coupler on the rear of the transmission then test it. if you still have the problem then you know that it is the transmission. if the squealing stops then you know that the problem is in the prop shaft somewhere.this will help narrow your search.the problem is at one of these locations.sounds like a bearing to me. either in the transmission or the cutlass.

tedsbeds · May 1, 2012

celticwinds said:
take the prop shaft loose at the coupler on the rear of the transmission then test it. if you still have the problem then you know that it is the transmission. if the squealing stops then you know that the problem is in the prop shaft somewhere.this will help narrow your search.the problem is at one of these locations.sounds like a bearing to me. either in the transmission or the cutlass.

I would guess that there is an alignment issue, or possibly a bent shaft. A spinning shaft out of round or with a warp to it could possibly bind up[ in the cutless bearing. I would look at the trans/ prop shaft connection also.

Caydreamin · May 1, 2012

Apologies to Kallen for highjacking the thread. But I think we might be experiencing the same problem.

Teds and Celtic, thanks for the input. I think that is a good thing to try if the stuffing box issue doesn't solve it. The reason I think that it isn't in the transmission is that I only get the squeal part of the year...in the summer months. I'm fortunate to have a 12 month sailing season here in TX and I experienced the problem last summer and it went away when the water temp dipped below 75 degrees. Now that the temp is back up, the squeal is back. I put many, many hours on the engine over the winter and never had the issue happen. Last weekend was the first I heard it. So it seems like to me there is a water temp variable in there somewhere. It seems unlikely to me that the temp would be an issue way up in the tranny. But I've been wrong a few times before.

celticwinds · May 2, 2012

engine siezure

:neutral:

Caydreamin said:
Apologies to Kallen for highjacking the thread. But I think we might be experiencing the same problem.

Teds and Celtic, thanks for the input. I think that is a good thing to try if the stuffing box issue doesn't solve it. The reason I think that it isn't in the transmission is that I only get the squeal part of the year...in the summer months. I'm fortunate to have a 12 month sailing season here in TX and I experienced the problem last summer and it went away when the water temp dipped below 75 degrees. Now that the temp is back up, the squeal is back. I put many, many hours on the engine over the winter and never had the issue happen. Last weekend was the first I heard it. So it seems like to me there is a water temp variable in there somewhere. It seems unlikely to me that the temp would be an issue way up in the tranny. But I've been wrong a few times before.

celticwinds · May 2, 2012

run the engine with the transmission in gear and observe the stuffing box. you should have three drops of water per minute dripping from the stuffing box. feel of the stuffing box after you run the engine for awhile and see if it feels hot. if you have repacked your packing gland the stuffing can swell and become too tight but with a squealing sound i don`t think that is the problem.an alignment problem can also be caused by a broken engine mount.lightly pry on the mounts with a large screwdriver to check them.make sure your trans. has enough lubricant.wish i was there to help but i live in tennessee.

Steve Walsh · May 8, 2012

My vote is the stuffing box is too tight, not getting enough water to cool the shaft causing the flax and shaft to expand enough to stop the engine. Shaft may now be scored, but follow celticwinds suggestion and loosen the packing nut until you get 3-4 drips per minute, tighten locknut and run the engine in gear. Let us know how it turns out.