Prop won't spin

[Tyger]

Saturday we were just headed toward the dock, but I still had a surfer out. Suddenly the boat lurched and the surfer actually ran into the back of the boat. I put the boat in neutral and drifted to a stop, then put it back in gear but the prop was obviously not spinning.

I thought maybe I spun the prop or even lost it, but I swam under the boat and the prop was there and seemed to be locked on the shaft. We looked around the engine for a bit, but didn't see anything. Fortunately a very nice person stopped and we got a tow the short ways back to the dock.

It's still under warranty and I'm taking it in to the dealer tomorrow, but I'm wondering what it might be. I'm hoping it just the linkage somewhere. With the back cushion and tray off, I put it gear and revved it real low. You could hear some faint clanking at first, then nothing. I'm thinking if it's not something simple it's the V-drive since forward and reverse didn't work. However, I think it could be the transmission or something.

I also pulled the neutral button out and revved it a couple times, then re-engaged and tried the throttle, but the prop still wouldn't spin.

Here's hoping it's an easy fix!

[Bobby Light]

Maybe your prop shaft sheared off in the Vdrive unit?

[wdr]

Tyger can you spin the prop by hand? You probably already checked, but if you can spin it and there is little to no resistance I am thinking it may be the shaft coupling bolts. When I bought mine all 4 were loose and the only reason I thought to check further was because of a nut and washer in the bilge. Hope its a cheap fix. Bill

[85 Barefoot]

Maybe your prop shaft sheared off in the Vdrive unit?

I don't follow you there.

I assume you looked at the coupler already? Could be damper plate. Vdrive failure very uncommon, especially on a 10 but there's surely going to be someone have an unlucky one. Will prop turn by hand?

[Tyger]

I assume you looked at the coupler already? Could be damper plate. Vdrive failure very uncommon, especially on a 10 but there's surely going to be someone have an unlucky one. Will prop turn by hand?

No clue what a coupler is.

Yes the prop will turn by hand. Some resistance, but not much.

[85 Barefoot]

Don't know exact design in 10 but all the v drive is is a angled gear. It doesn't control "shifting" or direction of travel. It's just redirecting the angle of the output shaft.

[Bobby Light]

I don't follow you there.

I assume you looked at the coupler already? Could be damper plate. Vdrive failure very uncommon, especially on a 10 but there's surely going to be someone have an unlucky one. Will prop turn by hand?

Which part do you not follow.

[barefootpaul]

No clue what a coupler is.

Yes the prop will turn by hand. Some resistance, but not much.

Does the shaft turn with the prop? If not it could be as easy as a missing or stripped key.

[wdr]

Tyger, the VD output shaft flange is connected to the prop shaft by a coupler and the shaft flange with 4 bolts, lock washers and (brass) nuts atleast on my '10 LSV. If the nuts come loose you can get vibration and clunking when you engage the trans. If all 4 bolts come out you get a loss of trans engagement and no prop movement. If you take a quick look under the VD and see a nut, washer and bolt fruit salad this is most likely what happened. Easy fix, but you need to have the trans/engine alignment checked in case misalignment was the culprit. Most likely it is from normal use or was improperly torqued at the factory like mine was.

[wdr]

Let me correct my last post. The trans will engage and spin, but the shaft won't.

[85 Barefoot]

Which part do you not follow.

You said: "Maybe your prop shaft sheared off in the Vdrive unit?"

I didn't follow that. Prop shaft doesn't go in the vdrive unit. So, didn't follow that.

[Tyger]

Tyger, the VD output shaft flange is connected to the prop shaft by a coupler and the shaft flange with 4 bolts, lock washers and (brass) nuts atleast on my '10 LSV. If the nuts come loose you can get vibration and clunking when you engage the trans. If all 4 bolts come out you get a loss of trans engagement and no prop movement. If you take a quick look under the VD and see a nut, washer and bolt fruit salad this is most likely what happened. Easy fix, but you need to have the trans/engine alignment checked in case misalignment was the culprit. Most likely it is from normal use or was improperly torqued at the factory like mine was.

wdr, that was it! Thanks so much. I found a bolt in the bottom of the bilge last year, but just figured they dropped it there and got another one. I mentioned it to the dealer, but nothing happened.

I found a few more bolts and nuts and one that is sheared off, so obviously one or two more came loose and at least one sheared off. I can see that the prop shaft is separate from the v-drive.

It's such a relief to know it is something simple! Hopefully the dealer can get it in this week and we'll be back on the water this weekend.

[wdr]

Glad it was something simple. I know you don't run any crazy weight in it and like 85 said it was unlikely to fail this early. I followed you over from the Moomba side, have a great summer.

[85 Barefoot]

No clue what a coupler is.

Yes the prop will turn by hand. Some resistance, but not much.

Have you put the boat in gear to see if ANYHTING is spinning in the engine bay whatsoever?

[85 Barefoot]

oops, too late on the previous, problem solved....while coupler is disconnected, might as well use the opportunity to re-align the engine. use a feeler gauge .003" is the tolerance. Good luck.

[85 Barefoot]

push comes to shove and dealer can't get to it (putting bolts back in), you could do it probably in about 4 minutes, maybe 5 depending on getting right size wrench in the boat. Yes, it is as simple as 4 bolts.

[Bobby Light]

You said: "Maybe your prop shaft sheared off in the Vdrive unit?"

I didn't follow that. Prop shaft doesn't go in the vdrive unit. So, didn't follow that.

Gotcha, I worded it wrong.

[Lance B. Johnson]

I have read about this often enough that I now check mine as part of dewinterization.