I bought a 1977 27 ft hunter last winter that had been sitting for 3 years. During that time the cabin flooded and the engine and trans were partially submerged. I got the engine started but the trans would not go into neutral, when I opened the trans filler plug the water just came pouring out. I pumped out the oil-water mix but there is no way to get to a drain plug. Is there a way to flush out the trans with something that would clean out the little water-oil mix that must still be in there. I'm hoping if I can clean it out and refill with new fluid the shifting into neutal will be solved. Any help would be appreciated
water in the trans
- Thread starter shadowthecat
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Shadow.. if that was seawater, there is a 95% chance that all of the bearings in the transmission are damaged and should be replaced.. If that was rainwater then around 60%.. depending on how long it sat with water in it. The transmission does have a drain plug and that will have to be removed before all of the debris can even be flushed.. Does the shift lever click into the detents for forward/reverse? Have you tried to put a pipe wrench on the coupling and turn it with the lever in neutral? Again, you will probably have to pull the transmission for a bearing replacement.. in cases like that, the balls and rollers of the bearings will typically pit corrode.. leading to a rough bearing which will fail fairly quickly. I wouldn't trust the transmission long term without a tear-down and inspection.
water in trans
Kloudie thats the news I was hoping I wouldn't hear. I'm heading back down to the boat this morning I'll try to get to the drain plug, won't be easy. the water was rain water, so thats better and the trans goes from forward to reverse, theres just no neutral. I was hoping to launch the boat in May, I have to move it from Nj. to Md, I'll see what happens thanks George
Kloudie thats the news I was hoping I wouldn't hear. I'm heading back down to the boat this morning I'll try to get to the drain plug, won't be easy. the water was rain water, so thats better and the trans goes from forward to reverse, theres just no neutral. I was hoping to launch the boat in May, I have to move it from Nj. to Md, I'll see what happens thanks George
George, good news on the rain water.. Use something like kerosene to flush the box.. fill it pretty much to half full (half of the dipstick length, not half of the full mark on the stick) spin it by hand (if you can.. use engine if ya have to, try to shift from forward to reverse and back ) a bunch and drain that.... you can use the suction pump for that exercise.. .. careful because kerosene can burn.. When ya say "no neutral", do ya mean the lever clicks into the detent but the shaft still turns? or is it that the lever does not click into the detent? You may be able to quickly free it by putting it into forward gear (engine not running) and with a pipe wrench or a strap wrench, turn the coupling in the direction that it would normally turn when going forward.(BE SURE that the engine stop is pulled out and stays out and the decompressioon lever is engaged while doing this because a diesel can kick over very easily .. if you were to be in the way, it could hurt..) That should unlock the cones and allow ya to start figuring if ya really should pull it apart..
Curious, does the transmission call for ATF or does it need engine oil?
I am assuming that you are in the water?
Curious, does the transmission call for ATF or does it need engine oil?
I am assuming that you are in the water?
Hello back from the boat and things are looking up. I had pumped almost a half gallon of water and fluid into a milk carton and it still registered half full so I fired up the engine and tried the trans again and it worked fine,forward-reverse and neutal. Its really hard to believe that it would run with old gas, no new filters and having been submerged but it did. the flush with kerosene is what I needed to know because I can pump out the water-fluid mix with an electrical pump I have back home but I did not know what to use to really get it all out. I'll be heading back to the boat next weekend and I'll give it a try Thanks George
Good news, George.. Keeping fingers crossed for ya.
flush it well then fill with proper fluid .. run it in gear under load an hour or so.. drain that oil through a coffee filter and look for rust flakes and shiny chrome flakes as would come from a ball bearing. Flush again with kerosene, refill with oil and run it some more under load .. engine stopped and neutral, turn the prop shaft by hand and feel for "catches" or places where the shaft might feel like it is crunching lightly in sand.. If it feels slick and smooth, run it as usual for 5-10 hours and check again.. if still slick and smooth, ya may have dodged a bullet.... pump and flush and refill at the end of the season.. listen carefully for changes in transmission noise during those first few runs ..
flush it well then fill with proper fluid .. run it in gear under load an hour or so.. drain that oil through a coffee filter and look for rust flakes and shiny chrome flakes as would come from a ball bearing. Flush again with kerosene, refill with oil and run it some more under load .. engine stopped and neutral, turn the prop shaft by hand and feel for "catches" or places where the shaft might feel like it is crunching lightly in sand.. If it feels slick and smooth, run it as usual for 5-10 hours and check again.. if still slick and smooth, ya may have dodged a bullet.... pump and flush and refill at the end of the season.. listen carefully for changes in transmission noise during those first few runs ..
It happened to me....
Many seasons ago in late October I took on some sea water due to a prop wrap dislodging the shaft strut..... but that's a swim story that I care not to think about....
The result was that the end of the transmission was immersed in salt water for a short period of time. The next season the transmission began to slip and I ended the season early. I pulled the transmission and found the oil was kind of coffee colored. I assume there was water in the oil. I then replaced the friction disks. After reassembly the transmission still slipped. I pulled the transmission a second time and sent it out to Mack Boring in NJ and they rebuilt the clutch assembly replacing various springs and plates and parts. I assume that the water causes some kind of corrosion internal to the clutch assembly. The transmission worked perfectly after Mack Boring rebuilt it to spec.
I hope you're lucky and don't have the same problem. If you do you can remove the top nuts on the motor mounts separate the shaft coupling, hoist up the motor using a 2"x 4" across the hatch way and a come-a-long a few inches and spin it around to remove the transmission.
Good luck.....
Many seasons ago in late October I took on some sea water due to a prop wrap dislodging the shaft strut..... but that's a swim story that I care not to think about....
The result was that the end of the transmission was immersed in salt water for a short period of time. The next season the transmission began to slip and I ended the season early. I pulled the transmission and found the oil was kind of coffee colored. I assume there was water in the oil. I then replaced the friction disks. After reassembly the transmission still slipped. I pulled the transmission a second time and sent it out to Mack Boring in NJ and they rebuilt the clutch assembly replacing various springs and plates and parts. I assume that the water causes some kind of corrosion internal to the clutch assembly. The transmission worked perfectly after Mack Boring rebuilt it to spec.
I hope you're lucky and don't have the same problem. If you do you can remove the top nuts on the motor mounts separate the shaft coupling, hoist up the motor using a 2"x 4" across the hatch way and a come-a-long a few inches and spin it around to remove the transmission.
Good luck.....
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