Bravo 3 clicking noise

Dumb_Boater

New Member
Feb 27, 2010
9
Vancouver, BC
Boat Info
1999 270 Sundancer
Engines
7/4 MPI w/Bravo 3
With the boat on the trailer and the engine off, I can hear a clicking noise from the lower unit when I turn the prop by hand in either direction. The drive is in neutral. It sounds like noise from the gears making contact.

Is this normal?
 
Poss cone clutch on the way out? Cant honestly remember if they’re sudden failures or gradual. Also shift cable adjustment?…
 
Could always dump the oil and look for traces of contamination. The clutch is in the top of the upper. Not sure why you would here a click in the lower? Might be a flag for you...
 
I found another boat with a Bravo 3 leg and it makes the same noise. A local mechanic says the noise is normal. I'm going to check some other legs for the noise.

A mechanic at the Searay dealer says any issue will show in the oil, so I will monitor it.
 
While I don't do this for a living, all I can say is I removed and reinstalled my props every year for 17 years and the props always spun freely.

I would get a second opinion.
 
While I don't do this for a living, all I can say is I removed and reinstalled my props every year for 17 years and the props always spun freely.

I would get a second opinion.

They spin freely, but you can hear and feel the lower gears meshing.
 
They spin freely, but you can hear and feel the lower gears meshing.
I guess it’s an interpretation - “clicking” noise is common when shift cable is not adjusted properly. If it is only a meshing noise that’s different.
 
I guess it’s an interpretation - “clicking” noise is common when shift cable is not adjusted properly. If it is only a meshing noise that’s different.

Hard to think of descriptive terms, but it sounds like gears making contact which seems normal. Just wondering before I find out the hard way.
 
I suspect a very slight shift cable adjustment will resolve the condition you have. Frequently when the outdrive is raised to the full up position the changing geometry will actually pull on the shift cable causing enough engagement to shift the outdrive into gear.
 

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