1978 sea ray 240 da Question omc 800

hucksterfool

New Member
May 21, 2009
26
Pasadena md
Boat Info
1978 sea ray 240 da omc 800 351
Engines
351
I have basically gone thru this boat replaced alot got engine running sweet only have one problem left.

My tilt does not work. when i get about 19mph and above my outdrive clunks occasionally. I really dont think it is te upper or lower unit. I think it may be the drive knuckles popping out of each other due to the outdrive not being all the way down. It is in the water and i have no way of checking unless i go for a dive and too cold for that. it tends to do it more with i adjust my bow trim up thus changing the attitude to the water.. lower bow does it less.

What you guys think my odds are that this is the issue and not somthing internal. shifts great other than that. slow speed no issues, have new interuptor etc..
 
I'm confused if your drive does or doesn't trim/tilt up or down? You started by saying it doesn't, then said it does???

If the drive is tilted too far up, the u-joint knuckles will certainly start to bang into each other. But, that would be a consistent knocking, not intermittent.

But, assuming the trim gauge is correct, you should be able to trim up to at least 1/2 w/o any noise.

This is going back quite a few years, but my dad used to have an OMC and started sounding similar to what you are describing. If I remember correctly, the lower set of gears (at the propshaft) were worn.
 
Sorry for the confusion. When I am talking about outdrive trim tilt is broke. When I adjust the Trim tabs on my boat is when it does it more. Once is does it it does it constantly. Usually about 19 mph slower speeds lit doesn't. And it seems to do it sooner the more bow up trim I give her with the tabs thus changing outdrive attitude to water
 
Yea, If it pops and makes the boat jump It does sound like it's not all the way in gear or it's slipping out intermittently from ware.
 
SO you guys are thinking it is my lower gears and not my drive knuckles between my outdrive and outer unit. the lower gears were replaces less than a year ago. my outdrive tilt has been broke just recently and this started happening. there is play in the outdrive tilt. i can get in water and wiggle the outdrive up and down ( it is a gear system not cylinders.) I would hate to open my outdrive to find gears are in perfect shape
 
Oh, are you ruining this thing all the way down? And if you can move it by hand that may well be what your hearing is that slack you can move it?
 
i am not positive if the outdrive is all the way down. too cold to jump in water. I figured if it has some play since the trim gears in the unit is bad when i bow up boat and get on plane it causes the outdrive to lift up enough to cause the knuckle gears to pop out of sync.
 
Umm Not sure. I would need to see and hear is. When you bow up you taking all the tab out. The knuckles should not pop unless the drive is moving and geting the gears out of line. I have that OMC drive. What Gears do you think are poping? 1 or 2
800.jpg
 
The ball gears number one. link my tilt isnt all the way down or somthing and ball gears maybe work causing it to pop in and out. I will be taking out of water in a few weeks and working on this winter just wanted to get a few more weeks of fishing out of her
 
OK,, Well they should not pop at all no mater the trim. Your bearings may be bad causing the drive to move and get them out of center..That will make them make all kinds of noise like they are coming apart. Well Good luck. When you get it out of the water,, it should be clear by the shinny mettle.
 
You shouldn't ever run an OMC Stringer drive faster than idle unless the drive is all the way down as the ball gears aren't fully meshed. If you are running at planing speeds with partial engagement, you stand a good chance of breaking a ball gear. I'd pull the boat out of the water and have a look at the ball gears and see how worn they are and also fix your tilt motor problem before your FUBAR your outdrive.
 

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