Cutlass Bearing Issue

Solarken

Member III
Hello,
I have an E32-2 I believe I’m having an issue with the Cutlass bearing. There is a ticking clacking kind of sound aft. You hear it most at the helm. I opened the motor space and don’t hear it like outside. When it happens the shaft wiggles at the PSS. Has to be aft.

who knows about changing the Cutlass in water?

Thank you
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
No replies so far, maybe because this is a tough one. Most often it takes alot of work to remove a cutless bearing, sometimes sawing with a hacksaw to break it open, sometimes requiring a tool with nuts, bolts and wrenches to gradually push it out. But I've also heard one sailor say that his fell out while motoring, only discovering this with the clunking noise.
Personally, I would haul the boat rather than try to remove the cutless bearing in the water, unless you have a very skilled and patient diver available.
Frank
 

Solarken

Member III
No replies so far, maybe because this is a tough one. Most often it takes alot of work to remove a cutless bearing, sometimes sawing with a hacksaw to break it open, sometimes requiring a tool with nuts, bolts and wrenches to gradually push it out. But I've also heard one sailor say that his fell out while motoring, only discovering this with the clunking noise.
Personally, I would haul the boat rather than try to remove the cutless bearing in the water, unless you have a very skilled and patient diver available.
Frank
Hi Frank,

I have a haul out set for 6/3. I’m just supposed to be gone somewhere else now.

Not able to cut it out due to the shaft staying in. The removal of the prop in water is a non issue, even have the puller. I don’t have the cutlass tool. And yes both take wrenches to use. Just been hoping someone does it in water. I have not seen it yet. But there is nothing back there to bang around but that. All is quiet in the inside compartment forward of the seal. But when the noise happens aft the shaft shakes.

Can’t imagine anything but the Cutlass.

Thanks for your input!
 

peaman

Sustaining Member
I had a screw on my shaft zinc let go once. The zinc stayed on the shaft, but one half was flailing and bumping the strut. I imagined the worst. Dove over and just yanked the zinc off for the month left in the season. I hope your issue is as simple.
 

gareth harris

Sustaining Member
Firstly the propeller shaft needs to be pulled out, then the cutless bearing is extremely unlikely to come out meekly (mine had to be cut along its length with a hacksaw at two separate points), so I have never heard of it being done in the water.

It would however be worth going for a swim to inspect what is going on down there before committing to hauling out.

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972
 

Pete the Cat

Sustaining Member
No replies so far, maybe because this is a tough one. Most often it takes alot of work to remove a cutless bearing, sometimes sawing with a hacksaw to break it open, sometimes requiring a tool with nuts, bolts and wrenches to gradually push it out. But I've also heard one sailor say that his fell out while motoring, only discovering this with the clunking noise.
Personally, I would haul the boat rather than try to remove the cutless bearing in the water, unless you have a very skilled and patient diver available.
Frank
I had a screw on my shaft zinc let go once. The zinc stayed on the shaft, but one half was flailing and bumping the strut. I imagined the worst. Dove over and just yanked the zinc off for the month left in the season. I hope your issue is as simple.
Cutless bearings really require hauling and removal of the shaft to do it right--though I am sure there is a diver someplace who has done it. I check mine with every haul and they do not generally suddenly get worn. But a loose zinc can make quite a racket. If you put them on yourself, remember to hit them a good whack with a hammer once they are on, and then tighten them again. The yard I worked in used to put them on, whack them, tighten them and then check them again for tightness just before splashing the boat. Good yard where I learned a lot.
 

Solarken

Member III
I had a screw on my shaft zinc let go once. The zinc stayed on the shaft, but one half was flailing and bumping the strut. I imagined the worst. Dove over and just yanked the zinc off for the month left in the season. I hope your issue is as simple.
Wow! That sounds simple enough! I had a diver look at the prop but we did not look at the zincs. I have two on the shaft.

I had a. Chunk of my colon removed so I have not been in the cold water myself but maybe I need to go see for myself?!?!
 

Solarken

Member III
I don’t need bottom paint yet and no other out of water work. The prop got covered in sea weed that is like twine and needed to be cut off. I’m wondering if the out of balance may have done in the bearing? I don’t know how old it is. No record of it being changed. It’s still fairly smooth at low rpm but under load it starts to make a clacking noise. Then some vibration. Looking from inside you can see the shaft shake at the PSS.

Wish I felt great and like diving. Even getting the wetsuit on could be a challenge now. Water is 60° now. Dilemmas!!!
Thank you for the ideas.
 

Solarken

Member III
Still having issues. !!!! Had several divers look and did not do haul. Then a was good with no sound for a few weeks. Now poof the sound is back. Like a ticking and it’s definitely not in the motor locker. Zincs are tight. No play in anything down there. Motored on a no wind ️ day for 16 nm at about 4.2 nmph. The next day moving in harbor I heard it again. It’s like it starts, gets louder and then stops. A gal on a paddle board passing me said what was that!?!?!? Sounded like you hit something!!!
So the saga continues!
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Strictly mentioned in the FWIW vein ...
We have had occasional high pitched whines and recently some noticeable clicking noised from the drive train at cruising rpm. Puzzling. The PSS seal-faces are burped and no air is trapped.

Just Prior: This spring I did have to burp it several times when first put into gear after sitting idle for the winter. There was some slime growth inside the shaft alley, and when I burped it some of that came out with the water inrush. That cured a leak problem with the rotating seal evident when first making turns, at the slip.

But then recently we got these odd noses after running it for about 3 hours, on the way to a club cruise destination. When at the dock, we ran it forward and back, several times just on the off chance that we had caught something in the prop. No further noises when motoring home (windless weekend).

Last week I had a diver check the stern gear. He said the shaft does not show any looseness in the cutlass bearing, and I could easily rotate it by hand inside while he watched from beneath. Nothing found on the prop. I guess that we will just watch and listen every time we go out.
The "mystery" remains. :rolleyes:

After decades of boat ownership, one would imagine that this sort of hard-to-ID situation would not be happening, but here we are, Still Mystified, for now.

BTW, if you can see the shaft shake the the engine is turning it, I believe that the engine alignment needs to be checked, And, also look closely to verify that the shaft is centered in the shaft alley. (On our prior factory Universal diesel, I once found that the old rubber mounts had deteriorated to the point where one was down to metal-on-metal, and the shaft was starting to abraid the inside of the frp tube alley.)

It may not seem too intuitive , but looking at the shaft from underneath in murky water may not reveal that it is not centered, but from inside you can more easily see whether the connecting hose is "sagging" down from where it's champed on the frp tube. That was the confirming part of the diagnosis when we were trouble shooting a possible mount problem. :(
 
Last edited:

Solarken

Member III
Strictly mentioned in the FWIW vein ...
We have had occasional high pitched whines and recently some noticeable clicking noised from the drive train at cruising rpm. Puzzling. The PSS seal-faces are burped and no air is trapped.

Just Prior: This spring I did have to burp it several times when first put into gear after sitting idle for the winter. There was some slime growth inside the shaft alley, and when I burped it some of that came out with the water inrush. That cured a leak problem with the rotating seal evident when first making turns, at the slip.

But then recently we got these odd noses after running it for about 3 hours, on the way to a club cruise destination. When at the dock, we ran it forward and back, several times just on the off chance that we had caught something in the prop. No further noises when motoring home (windless weekend).

Last week I had a diver check the stern gear. He said the shaft does not show any looseness in the cutlass bearing, and I could easily rotate it by hand inside while he watched from beneath. Nothing found on the prop. I guess that we will just watch and listen every time we go out.
The "mystery" remains. :rolleyes:

After decades of boat ownership, one would imagine that this sort of hard-to-ID situation would not be happening, but here we are, Still Mystified, for now.

BTW, if you can see the shaft shake the the engine is turning it, I believe that the engine alignment needs to be checked, And, also look closely to verify that the shaft is centered in the shaft alley. (On our prior factory Universal diesel, I once found that the old rubber mounts had deteriorated to the point where one was down to metal-on-metal, and the shaft was starting to abraid the inside of the frp tube alley.)

It may not seem too intuitive , but looking at the shaft from underneath in murky water may not reveal that it is not centered, but from inside you can more easily see whether the connecting hose is "sagging" down from where it's champed on the frp tube. That was the confirming part of the diagnosis when we were trouble shooting a possible mount problem. :(
It looks to be inline and I’m all electric. Nothing has moved on the motor end and the bearings are well lubed. The sound actually is very quiet insit. It’s loud at the helm and sounds like a fishing lewr is on the prop. It’s odd it sounds the same at any rpm. I normally run the prop at 600-1000 rpms. Mostly 750-850 rpms. But even at 400 rpms at sounds much the same. I was down there and pushed and shook everything! All felt solid to me. And the now 5 divers that have looked.
My thought at this point is there may be some crustacean in the tube but you would think that would be out by now.

I did not haul. Don’t need paint yet and $1,500 to change something that the divers have said is fine is just stupid!

I’m just afraid I will be somewhere not safe and need power to move but something will go wrong. I don’t want to be on the rocks somewhere.

good luck with your mystery!!!! I’ll be hoping we find the answer!
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
If you put them [zincs] on yourself, remember to hit them a good whack with a hammer once they are on, and then tighten them again.
I've tried this a few times and have never been able to bring myself to hammer hard enough on the zinc to make any difference. I can't see how solid blows are good for either the shaft or the strut. Instead, I put the new zincs back on at least 3-4 days before launch and go back and re-tighten the screws once or twice a day as I'm out there working on the boat. The soft zinc seems to mold itself around the shaft over time, allowing you to re-tighten frequently (sometimes, even after only a few hours). After about 3 days and 6-7 cycles, they seem to get as tight as you're going to get them.
 

Solarken

Member III
I've tried this a few times and have never been able to bring myself to hammer hard enough on the zinc to make any difference. I can't see how solid blows are good for either the shaft or the strut. Instead, I put the new zincs back on at least 3-4 days before launch and go back and re-tighten the screws once or twice a day as I'm out there working on the boat. The soft zinc seems to mold itself around the shaft over time, allowing you to re-tighten frequently (sometimes, even after only a few hours). After about 3 days and 6-7 cycles, they seem to get as tight as you're going to get them.
I’ve never done my zincs out of water!! And I don’t bash the zinc. Just a good tap or three. Then tighten more. I have two on the shaft. I could not move them by hand though. Guess I will check again when I get down there again soon.
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
I've tried this a few times and have never been able to bring myself to hammer hard enough on the zinc to make any difference. I can't see how solid blows are good for either the shaft or the strut. Instead, I put the new zincs back on at least 3-4 days before launch and go back and re-tighten the screws once or twice a day as I'm out there working on the boat. The soft zinc seems to mold itself around the shaft over time, allowing you to re-tighten frequently (sometimes, even after only a few hours). After about 3 days and 6-7 cycles, they seem to get as tight as you're going to get them.
Yeah, I've shuddered at the notion of hammering, too. Especially after having rebedded the strut in our first year with the boat. It occurred to me that I could use a c-clamp and squeeze it good, though. I didn't do it this year, but might give it a try next off season. One advantage of hauling every winter.
 

Solarken

Member III
Yeah, I've shuddered at the notion of hammering, too. Especially after having rebedded the strut in our first year with the boat. It occurred to me that I could use a c-clamp and squeeze it good, though. I didn't do it this year, but might give it a try next off season. One advantage of hauling every winter.
Hauling is $4,000-$5,000 every time I do it. All to be on the hard for 3-5 days. Even if I don’t do paint it’s like $1,300-$1,400 for ¼ of a day out of the water. Zincs last 2-3 years on my boat. Hammering sounds bad but you are not hitting it like driving a nail, it’s more like shaving some wood with a chisel… tap tap tap. I have a small ball peen hammer. I use.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
On the little sub-subject of getting the "zinc" halves tight (even if they are aluminum) You do not hit it only on one side/half. You should hold a block of iron (another hammer head, about 2 #) against the other side i.e. using it as an anvil. Then hit the opposite side with your hammer. You are not then displacing the shaft as much as you are forcing the halves of the anode together. As others said, then tighten it up incrementally. Several blows with the hammer against the anvil. Nothing wrong with a using a large C clamp, but IMO the tap of the hammer against the resistance of the anvil will do more to bring the halves of the anode together.
That's my opinion.... and to paraphrase Groucho, "If you don't like that one, I have others!" :)
 

Solarken

Member III
So, this morning I drove the boat for several miles since hearing the mysterious sound. After getting to a new spot and upon anchoring, tick tick tick tick… there is was!!! Sounds like it’s at the prop! Just like a fishing jig on the prop hitting the hull. Mystery Haunting Continues.
 
Top