Transmission issue - 400 EC 1996

S

Searaybio270

Active Member
Jul 8, 2010
1,058
Bush River on the Cheasapeake Bay
Boat Info
1996 EC, Garmin 3210, Dinghy - Seadoo Jet boat with twin 85 horse. Fun and Fast.
Engines
7.4 MC 360 HP each
Westerbeke 7KW
Yesterday while boat I heard a noise almost akin to a slippage in the transmission. This happened twice so i shut down the trans and the engine. Fluids are fine and stuffing box appears to be ok. As we made our way into the raftup area I restarted the engine and trans worked fine. On the way back to the marina I noticed I had to push the one engine (proble side) more to sync the engines After a bit I had no trans push at all. In the slip I started the engine put it in both forward and reverse gear. No movement either way.

Any ideas things I should check before calling in the mechanic? If there is a thread on this (I am looking) please point me in that direction.
Thanks, Joe
 
I hate to say it, but I had a similar scenario and I have a new $10000 transmission. Pull your filter. If the fluid is black, it's probably burnt clutch packs. I'm not an expert, so your results may vary. Good luck
 
From your description it sounds very much like a pump failure in the transmission......the pump provides hydraulic pressure to hold the clutches engaged, so with inadequate pressure, the clutches slip. In a '96 EC you probably have Borg Warner gears and I believe the pump is serviceable without a total disassembly of the transmission, so you may have more in the labor to pull the transmission out of the boat than in the actual transmission repair, less parts. The pumps are external on some transmission types (easy fix), inside the front case on others (expensive). Unless you are up for the heavy lifting and can do the diagnostics and the tear down, it is probably best to call an experienced mechanic for this one.
 
almostenuff said:
I hate to say it, but I had a similar scenario and I have a new $10000 transmission. Pull your filter. If the fluid is black, it's probably burnt clutch packs. I'm not an expert, so your results may vary. Good luck
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info - I think. LOL while crying!!!
 
Frank,
Thanks for the info. I do have BW gears. Could this have happened when the engine was replaced last summer? Engine was pulled, rebuilt and then re-installed. Just curious.

Thanks again,
Joe
 
The short answer is : No..........but I have no ides what was done when the engine was pulled and replaced. If the internal pump is the issue, I believe it is inside the transmission housing but not integral to the mechanism so the case can be separated and just the pump replaced.

Bear in mind that is a wild a$$ guess from 1000 miles away and I have not seen or heard the boat run.
 
Totally understand But it is a starting point. I am going to take another look at the trans. What I am looking at I don't know but I am going to look.

Thanks for your insight if I ever get 1000 miles down the road I owe you dinner.

Joe
 
Just for giggles, start the engine and put the bad transmission in gear and look at where the shaft enters the coupler. It is a stretch, but I have seen loose set screws allow a key to shear and let the coupler rotate on the shaft.......wouldn't it be cool if your only problem was a $1.50 key and boogered up key-way.
 
That would be nice!

Quick update. I called my mechanic he said to start the engine put it in gear. Does it move forward and reverse. He wanted to establish that the prop was still there.
Well, as soon as I put it in reverse she moved back. In forward I just sat there until I gave it more gas then I moved forward. My mechanic now thinks that something is wrapped around shaft or prop I hope to haul out today or tomorrow and take a look.

Stay tuned
 
Yes, rope around the shaft between the prop and the bracket. Cleaning barnacles off the bottom tonight. Pictures to Zyrex tomorrow. I am loaded with them.
 
Some boat stories have a happy ending.
With clean bottom you should go faster.
 
Searaybio270 said:
Frank,
Thanks for the info. I do have BW gears. Could this have happened when the engine was replaced last summer? Engine was pulled, rebuilt and then re-installed. Just curious.

Thanks again,
Joe
Click to expand...

Hi Joe,

You may have Hurth/ZF gears....I do in my 1995.
Just a though..
A good mask, fins and snorkel are great things to have on the boat for checking these things.
Glad your up and running without a bad problem.
 
AO'N - good to hear from you. I have been absent from the site for awhile. Work, family, fun.

The rope was an easy fix. The Zyrex paint, barnacles and repainting not so quick. I just posted about the paint and the inability to get in touch with the company.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,112
Messages
1,426,286
Members
61,025
Latest member
jralcorn
Back
Top