Lower Unit problems/questions

[Texas_Rig]

Sorry for the long read. Need help!

I'm looking for a little insight from any of you guys that understand boat motors.
I have zero knowledge of any kind of motors and much less a boat motor. Last week I was fishing CH and while I was running I noticed that all of a sudden I went from 58mph to 53mph for seemingly no reason. When I came off plane I noticed a grinding noise.

I had experienced this grinding noise once before. Last summer before my lower unit blew up and I suspected the same thing was happening. I tried to get back to the ramp but when I tried to get on plane it took quite a bit more time than usual. I immediately came off plane and idled back to the boat ramp which took a long time. I called my mechanic and told him my lower unit was messed up and he said bring it to him. He took it apart and said there was nothing wrong with it. He showed me the gears and they looked fine. No chipped teeth. He said that wasn't my problem. After looking at my prop and thrust washer it appeared I spun a hub. I took my prop to Performance Propeller and had a new hub pressed in and just got it back yesterday.

I put my prop back on and went straight to the lake yesterday. The boat planed out very nicely and my speed was back to normal so I continued down the lake to where I wanted to fish. Once, I got there and came off plane I could here the grinding noise again. Crap! I fished around for a few hours and never used the motor again except to idle. When I left to run back there was a vibration when I planed out but the boat ran and sounded fine until I got almost back to the ramp and my lower unit blew up again. It was the same thing that happened last summer; all if a sudden my rpms seemed to go way up for a second or 2 and then a loud boom and I could here stuff breaking.

My question is what is causing this? My motor has given me the same warning both times with the grinding when coming off plane. The first time I didn't know any better but this time I took the lower unit to the mechanic before it broke but he said everything looked fine. So, what is the grinding noise before it breaks? Could there be an underlying issue that is causing this to happen and the blown lower unit is just the result of this issue?

[tkwalker]

Call, Larry Hagan and tell him what you posted. Now, Like me he can't troubleshoot outboards over the phone but Get his opinion of what it might be. (two times to rebuild gets expensive $$ so there is a problem) ... If anybody knows what it might be ... He will .... Hope this helps ... His # is 615-289-8620 tell Him I told you to call him ....Check out Skillets post on page #4 needing a boat mechanic .. <'TK><

[skillet]

Originally Posted by tkwalker

Call, Larry Hagan and tell him what you posted. Now, Like me he can't troubleshoot outboards over the phone but Get his opinion of what it might be. (two times to rebuild gets expensive $$ so there is a problem) ... If anybody knows what it might be ... He will .... Hope this helps ... His # is 615-289-8620 tell Him I told you to call him ....Check out Skillets post on page #4 needing a boat mechanic .. <'TK><

I second calling Larry.


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[pitbull]

Merc or JohnnyRude?

[Texas_Rig]

Mercury efi 175 hp

[agelesssone]

Lakeshore Marine...Bob Mueller
615-885-2309
Best Mercury mechanic in Nashville area.

[Texas_Rig]

Thank you all for the replies.

[thehick176]

I also recommend Bobby at Lakeshore. Really good guy

[deezelteck]

That's rough having the lower to blow out twice in a row.. I'd most definitely take it to a different shop.

I also had to idle back to the ramp Saturday.. I must have connected with a piece of drift under the surface. There was lots of it. Luckily all I needed was a hub kit..

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[pitbull]

I'd be curious what failed and if it was the same component. I asked which brand it was because the OMC V6 units are something I'm pretty familiar with and have some parts for.

[SAMBOLIE]

Have you hit anything that could have bent the prop shaft?
I wonder if the drive shaft or prop shaft could be bent just enough to cause your problem.

[Texas_Rig]

Originally Posted by deezelteck

That's rough having the lower to blow out twice in a row.. I'd most definitely take it to a different shop.

I also had to idle back to the ramp Saturday.. I must have connected with a piece of drift under the surface. There was lots of it. Luckily all I needed was a hub kit..

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I may have misinterpreted what happened. The lower unit went out at the end of the summer last year. 2 weeks ago I heard the same noise before it went out the first time. I didn't chance it and idled back to the ramp. I removed the lower unit and took it to my mechanic. He examined it and said everything was fine. I also spun a hub that day. Got a new one pressed in and went to the lake. My speed and planing out issues were resolved with the new hub. But my lower unit did break that day. Looking at my posts I may have made it sound like it went out 2x in just a few days. I'm gonna give my mechanic another shot as he said he would greatly discount the price of a rebuild because he told me it was fine the first time. He's gonna put the new one on and take it to the lake himself.

[Texas_Rig]

Originally Posted by SAMBOLIE

Have you hit anything that could have bent the prop shaft?
I wonder if the drive shaft or prop shaft could be bent just enough to cause your problem.

I wonder this as well! The only thing I have hit was in the back of Bledsoe Creek a couple weeks ago. I hit 2 stumps or logs that day that I couldn't see. But, both of these were at idle speed. They both did jar my boat pretty good though, and my problems started on my second time on the lake after that. I'm really hoping that's what caused this issue