Malibu Troubleshooting 101

[Sunsetter95]

I can't take it any more. What is it? AAAAAAAAAH!

[vlxjeff]

Loose spark plug wire????

OK,...did it require and replacement parts?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're very close!!

But it's not actually a part..... ok you guys should figure it out now..

Edited June 14, 2005 by vlxjeff

[vlxjeff]

Let me correct y last post...it has nothing to do with the spark plugs....sorry for the confusion..

The replacement of parts is what I was referring to....

[RTS]

I  can't  take it any more.    What is it?  AAAAAAAAAH!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto...Come on man, let's have it...

[Robscape]

Unhooked spark plug wire.

[zzbutler]

i cant believe i am waiting around to see this...

[RoverOn]

Battery?

[Sunsetter95]

Unhooked spark plug wire.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Possible, or how about partialy off. Under a load it can't make a hot enough spark causing a slight miss sensation.

How's that?

[gooddog]

Loose lanyard!

[beef]

Ok, this one got me to stop being a lurker and register.

Tranny fluid.

[Sunsetter95]

Loose lanyard!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't get started again!

[vlxjeff]

Ok, guess I left you all hanging long enough... here's the deal...

After the shuddering occurred the second time and nothing was found in the underwater gear that would cause a problem. The prop looked good, rudder, shaft, tracking fins all looked normal.

The strangest part was that it would go away after the boat cooled off for awhile. My brother and I were riding around in it for awhile and I saw the transmission light burning while we were at idle speed and it dawned on me that with the absence of other problems, this shudder kind of felt like the inboard equivalent of a slipping clutch.

I had my brother get back up to speed and the shudder reoccurred, but the transmission light went out over 1000 RPM as per normal, and never came on even when the boat shuddered.

Anyway, we went back to the houseboat and checked the transmission and the v-drive fluid levels. Both were low. not excessively low, but both were just below the fill line. So we added fluids to both and went out for another run. This fixed it!

I was actually very surprised that that fixed the problem. So I guess I don't know exactly which, the transmission or the v-drive was the actual cause, but I suspect the transmission. I mean a inboard transmission does have a clutch, right? I think it was over heating due to the low level of transmission fluid and started slipping.

Is that how you all see it??

Also, I need to give MWilson/CarveItUp props for being the closest.

Edit post... Beef came in just under the wire for the correct answer also.

to Beef and CarveItUp...

Jeff

Edited June 14, 2005 by vlxjeff

[vlxjeff]

hey beef,

[Sunsetter95]

[gooddog]

Looks like our new friend Beef got it on his first post!

thanks VLX for the quiz. It was fun.

You should change that tranny fluid asap. It probably has a burnt smell to it.

Edited June 14, 2005 by gooddog

[aneal000]

I'm still sticking with my first guess. The fact that you stopped and started a few times caused the debris to work it's way loose. You just happened to add fluids at the right time to make you think it was the solution.

[gooddog]

I'm still sticking with my first guess.  The fact that you stopped and started a few times caused the debris to work it's way loose.  You just happened to add fluids at the right time to make you think it was the solution.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could say the same thing about the lanyard...

[D-GOOSE]

Good job carvitup Beef

Ha Beef did you know this is a Malibu sight and not a mastercraft?

Jeff I didn't even think of fluid

but at what point was some one close?

[vlxjeff]

but at what point was some one close?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

CarveItUp got close on the 15th post of the thread.

[D-GOOSE]

Had the V-drive unit lost lubrication?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would think its vary close. but would put it more with the trans. V drive is just a gear box to change direction.

[itznowonder]

OK, I have the opposite problem. 2007 ride XTI. weekend before last while putting boat on trailer: water level very low at ramp making dock almost impossible to use. I told everyone I would nose up to dock at an angle and everyone was to step off of bow onto dock, even if I had to back up and go at it a few time to unload everyone. a friend of mine decided to "help me" because I "didn't need to go to the trouble" and pulled me right onto a concrete ledge that is part of the ramp. I yelled "NNNOOOOO", cut power, but still hit the thing. was only moving the speed of her pulling me sideways. I had prop damage and changed from a 515 to a 525. When I got to the lake this past weekend I had a whine when putting the boat into gear. I monitored the noise and it didn't get worse throughout the day but did not go away. All gauges read normal. at idle speed there is a shudder more than a quick vibration. After reading all of this I think loose prop nut? fuel pump? IDK. Help? On the upside my bro is coming to show me how to winterize it myself so hopefully he has some insight but we most likely will not be able to put the boat in the water because the drive is about an hour.

one other thing. I was playing with weighting the boat. normally I only put 400# in the back but a buddy loaned me two additional 400# bags which I placed on either side of the engine but back more (the wave was unbelievable for my DD!) I could feel the shudder with the weight and just chocked it up to that my prop was probably not the best suited for the amount of weight I had added.

Thoughts?

[oldjeep]

If you came up on the concrete sideways I would be thinking bent strut.  Did the rudder hit as well as the prop?

[itznowonder]

the rudder doesn't look like it hit and I didn't see any marking on the strut but will check it out when I get home. would I be able to see or, how to tell if its a strut bearing?

[BlackBluMalibu]

The strut may not have touched anything, but if the prop took a bad enough hit it most likely bent the strut to one side, making the alignment off and causing vibration at different rpms. Definitely would look at strut for alignment. If it does not appear to be at 90 degrees to flat bottom of hull then it is bent. Doesn't take much to create a small vibration if it is out of alignment at all. Good luck!

Edited September 26, 2016 by BlackBluMalibu

[blk93jeepzj]

1 hour ago, itznowonder said:

the rudder doesn't look like it hit and I didn't see any marking on the strut but will check it out when I get home. would I be able to see or, how to tell if its a strut bearing?

Labor Day Weekend, I was spinning around to pick up a downed rider.  

Boat was in neutral and rear end was coming around to straiten up and head back to the rider.  Hit a standing tree that has been int the lake since it was flooded in 1958 sitting in 35 feet of water.  Picked our rider up, pulled up the wedge (wedge didn't want to lock into place).  Dumped ballast and headed back to the dock.  On plane there was a slight shudder only under acceleration.  Came off plane and idled in.  Put the boat on the lift, yep wedge is bent.  Get the boat on the trailer, pulled the prop due to the shudder, yep it's bent too.  Take the boat home and to the local Malibu Dealership to asses the damage.  Shaft strut looks a little tweaked.

Long story short, prop was bent too close to the hub to repair, had to be replaced.  Wedge arms bent two directions, not repairable. Strut shaft was bent.  Driveshaft bent as well.  

Rudder looked fine and was not touched in the impact.      

Edited September 26, 2016 by blk93jeepzj
wording