Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

whistling noise at idle/headway speed from transom?


Recommended Posts

Any ideas?? 150 hr RLXI has "whistling" noise at idle/headway speed (just loud enough to be irritating), sounds more like coming from stern rather than motor (belt). Noise is gone when rpms pick up.

Thx, in advance.

dave

Link to comment

This happened on a buddys sporster and it ended up being the throttle butterfly.Try removing your air filter and intake at the manifold so you can see the throttle butterfly.In the throttle butterfly there is a small hole to allow air in

at idle.Start the motor and place a finger at the edge of the hole in the butterfly and the whistle should go away.If it does you need to clean the butterfly with some carb cleaner.

Link to comment

More info....whistle will NOT occur in neutral, only after shifting into Forward. Again, only whistles at headway speed...once rpms over 1200 it stops. Thus I'm thinking it is driveline related. Maybe originating from the stuffing box.

Also, I had noticed some light fishing line on the shaft between the prop and strut. I thought I cut is all off, but will put a mask on and double check.

BTW, how often are the drops of water supposed to weep from the stuffing box...I got about one every 3 seconds?

Thanks, again...

-Dave

Link to comment

Dave, I think your stuffing box is 'singing.' Mine used to do that a bit as well. Your drips are a bit much--you could adjust for less drips, less water in bilge, and perhaps change the sound you're hearing at the same time.

Link to comment
Dave, I think your stuffing box is 'singing.' Mine used to do that a bit as well. Your drips are a bit much--you could adjust for less drips, less water in bilge, and perhaps change the sound you're hearing at the same time.

Thanks, Jack. I'm thinking the same thing. I'll snug the nut a bit in the morning and see if it eliminates the "singing"... or at least changes the tune.

Cheers.

dave

Link to comment
Dave, I think your stuffing box is 'singing.' Mine used to do that a bit as well. Your drips are a bit much--you could adjust for less drips, less water in bilge, and perhaps change the sound you're hearing at the same time.

Thanks, Jack. I'm thinking the same thing. I'll snug the nut a bit in the morning and see if it eliminates the "singing"... or at least changes the tune.

Cheers.

dave

I am waiting to know if this fixes it, I have the exact same sound and behavior, but it was there from day 1 and I am probably more used to it now at the 40 hours mark.

BTW I have hardly any drippings

BB

Link to comment

I am waiting to know if this fixes it, I have the exact same sound and behavior, but it was there from day 1 and I am probably more used to it now at the 40 hours mark.

BTW I have hardly any drippings

BB

BB,

I'll try to post results by end of day (sunday). I just snugged the stuffing box/packing nut a bit (pretty simple task). Just a wee bit of turn lessened to drips to about where they should be. Will test the boat later to see if the "singing" has subsided and/or changed.

If not, my next theory is that the "sing" may be from the acme prop... which other threads here have addressed.

I just started the 2 week family vaca at the lake. I'm just glad that my problem is such a minor one.

Dave

Link to comment
BTW I have hardly any drippings

BB

Do you have the dripless shaft seal? They were available for your boat that year.

Link to comment

I had the same issue on my Echelon... It was the Prop.. Did you recently change it out? I put on a Acme 525 on that boat and that is when the singing started on mine... I just left it and got used to it...

Good Luck...

Link to comment

I hope I don't have the dripless option- because mine drips. Anyway, snugging the packing nut did not change the whistling at all. It only occurs between 800-1000rpms in forward gear.

It must be the prop...which is in "okay" shape with a couple small blems. I will have to decide whether to

-live with sound for now

-pull prop and file square the trailing edge of blade (as recommended by acme in another thread)

-order a new acme 515 from skidim, and use current one as spare for rest of season, then recondition it this winter

I may give acme a call in the morning to see just to see if symptoms are familiar to them.

Thanks all for the feedback.

Dave

Edited by davemac
Link to comment

I have the same noise coming from my 04 VLX. Is this boat a V drive? On my boat it sounds like it comes from the V drive. My boat has done this ever since i bought it used with 180 hours. now there is 456 hours and haven't had any trouble with the v drive. Which V drive to you have?

Link to comment
I have the same noise coming from my 04 VLX. Is this boat a V drive? On my boat it sounds like it comes from the V drive. My boat has done this ever since i bought it used with 180 hours. now there is 456 hours and haven't had any trouble with the v drive. Which V drive to you have?

No, I'm direct drive...but if it is prop related it probably doesn't make difference.

Link to comment

Update: PROBLEM SOLVED... it was "prop singing". I put a new acme 515 on and noise is gone. I will keep old prop as spare, and recondition at year's end. Again, the "whistling sound" only occured in Forward gear from idle up to 1,000rpm.

If anyone is interested, here is the response to my inquiry to Acme marine...

"Your description of what we call a singing propeller is correct, including the rpm that is happens at. If you take a file & square off the trailing edge of the propeller the singing will go away. You will find a flat spot on the trailing edge of the cup that is the part that needs to be squared off."

Dave

Edited by davemac
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Mine also whistles at no wake speed. Its the crank case ventilation tube connected to the spark arrestor. To check, pull it off at the spark arrestor. I have no idea if this is OK to whistle or is it a problem. Changed the PVC valve and made no difference.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...
Update: PROBLEM SOLVED... it was "prop singing". I put a new acme 515 on and noise is gone. I will keep old prop as spare, and recondition at year's end. Again, the "whistling sound" only occured in Forward gear from idle up to 1,000rpm.

If anyone is interested, here is the response to my inquiry to Acme marine...

"Your description of what we call a singing propeller is correct, including the rpm that is happens at. If you take a file & square off the trailing edge of the propeller the singing will go away. You will find a flat spot on the trailing edge of the cup that is the part that needs to be squared off."

Dave

I'm having the same noise since I put on a brand new prop, could a new prop need filed? If so, can you clearify the location I need to file, close to the hub? entire trailing edge?

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...