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Knocking noise please help


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Hi all,

My 2004 wakesetter (centre mount) has an intermittent loud knocking or banging  noise from what sounds like the transmission area.

The first time it happened I shut the engine off and got a tow in, as it sounds like something major has failed.

Upon inspection at home I couldn't' find the cause or produce the same noise, so I have been using the boat again.

I have done about 30hrs trouble free since the first noise, but last time out it happened again twice.

The boat drives fine except for the intermittent noise. Oil levels are good and oil appears clean.

Both times I was just towing at a constant speed.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

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Oh, makes sense.  I just couldn't get "center console" out of my head...MC apparently made a few of these and I would have been very surprised to see a Malibu like that.

mastercraft-csx-220-124384.jpg

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Wild chance, but I had a knock too.  I thought rod knock.  

Turns out it was the gas hatch strut shifted on the port side and was right against the exhaust, tapping away loudly.  Was hilarious when we found it.

Got an engine stethoscope?  They are cheap and work to narrow the source as well.

Edited by Pra4sno
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My 2004 Wakesetter is a centre mount or direct drive. I bought it as I had young girls that hadn't wakeboarded before and I thought this set up would be easier for them.

I pulled my starter off and sure enough there were springs from the damper plate loose in the bell houseing. Hopefully there isn't any damage too flywheel etc. Just about to split engine from trans to replace plate.

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4 hours ago, JimmyT said:

My 2004 Wakesetter is a centre mount or direct drive. I bought it as I had young girls that hadn't wakeboarded before and I thought this set up would be easier for them.

I pulled my starter off and sure enough there were springs from the damper plate loose in the bell houseing. Hopefully there isn't any damage too flywheel etc. Just about to split engine from trans to replace plate.

I'll bet the flywheel is OK.  But what causes the damper plate failure during in these '04 boats is the bellhousing.  It's not centered on the crankshaft .  You can align it with offset dowels or buy a new bellhousing.  The bellhousing  alignment procedure is standard practice with those who race stick shift autos.

Edited by MadMan
  • Like 2
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1 hour ago, MadMan said:

I'll bet the flywheel is OK.  But what causes the damper plate failure during in these '04 boats is the bellhousing.  It's not centered on the crankshaft .  You can align it with offset dowels or buy a new bellhousing.  The bellhousing  alignment procedure is standard practice with those who race stick shift autos.

How does one align the bell housing on a direct drive boat?   This Spring I am pulling my engine to replace the oil pan, and will replace the damper plate, oil pump, and strut bushings while I am at it.

 

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35 minutes ago, Bozboat said:

How does one align the bell housing on a direct drive boat?   This Spring I am pulling my engine to replace the oil pan, and will replace the damper plate, oil pump, and strut bushings while I am at it.

 

You basically use a dial indicator attached to the crankshaft to check the run out.  OEM auto manufacturers shop manuals as well as youtube videos show how it's done. 

You use dowels like these:

https://www.summitracing.com/search/product-line/lakewood-bellhousing-dowel-pins

 

Edited by MadMan
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On 3/4/2018 at 4:02 AM, JimmyT said:

My 2004 Wakesetter is a centre mount or direct drive. I bought it as I had young girls that hadn't wakeboarded before and I thought this set up would be easier for them.

I pulled my starter off and sure enough there were springs from the damper plate loose in the bell houseing. Hopefully there isn't any damage too flywheel etc. Just about to split engine from trans to replace plate.

From related threads, it seems like the real damage is done when the pieces shoot through the bell housing.  Sounds like you avoided that scenario.  How many total hours on the boat?  My '03 made it to between 850 and 890 hours before it started to make some noise.  I'm thinking it was an age/usage/design issue.  Assuming if it was the bell housing, it would have become an issue much sooner.

Also, which replacement plate are you using?

Edited by powbmps
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6 hours ago, powbmps said:

From related threads, it seems like the real damage is done when the pieces shoot through the bell housing.  Sounds like you avoided that scenario.  How many total hours on the boat?  My '03 made it to between 850 and 890 hours before it started to make some noise.  I'm thinking it was an age/usage/design issue.  Assuming if it was the bell housing, it would have become an issue much sooner.

Also, which replacement plate are you using?

Only 260hrs!....Provided the hour meeter is original. So maybe age is a contributor here.

I have read the bell housing being out of alignment was a problem on late 2004 and 2005 boats, so I checked the engine manufacture date on mine and it is 10/22/2003 so I am assuming my bell housing was machined and aligned correctly. I just read previous post above about bell housing alignment so I might check to make sure.

I am going to order the same plate as POWBMPS http://www.themalibucrew.com/index.php?/profile/30814-powbmps/  from SKIDIM my engine is only 335hp so hopefully it will hold up. I might tell the kids they can only wakeboard now, no more towing tubes :surprised:

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9 minutes ago, JimmyT said:

I have read the bell housing being out of alignment was a problem on late 2004 and 2005 boats, so I checked the engine manufacture date on mine and it is 10/22/2003 so I am assuming my bell housing was machined and aligned correctly. I just read previous post above about bell housing alignment so I might check to make sure.

Not sure I would go off the engine manufacture date as when the bell housing was manufactured.  

As long as you are doing the work, order a new bell housing and install it too. 

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6 minutes ago, blk93jeepzj said:

Not sure I would go off the engine manufacture date as when the bell housing was manufactured.  

As long as you are doing the work, order a new bell housing and install it too. 

Might be a good idea. Will try to track one down. I'm in Australia shipping is going to be $$. 

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If you do buy a new bellhousing, I'd check the alignment of it too. I check every automobile one I install.  I've only found 1 OEM one out of tolerance (slightly), but every aftermarket one has been way out.

It may take some damper plates much longer to fail than others depending on how far it is out of alignment.  I really don't like the solution of just putting a stronger plate in, that's got to be putting a lot more stain on the input bearing of the transmission.

It takes <1 hour to align one.

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16 hours ago, MadMan said:

It may take some damper plates much longer to fail than others depending on how far it is out of alignment.  I really don't like the solution of just putting a stronger plate in, that's got to be putting a lot more stain on the input bearing of the transmission.

I'm not sure whether the skiDM plate is any stronger than OEM, or if it is just a better design.  The springs are not enclosed at all on the stock plate, but on the skiDM version, there are metal tabs that hold them more securely in place.  Also the arms of the plate can flex easier, as they are are almost hinged, where the OEM version is not .  Mine did not fail, but the springs had loosened up enough to rattle loudly.  Who knows when they would have come loose and start causing some damage.  

I would be curious to see what the plate looks like that you have in your boat. 

2tb75H2.jpg

gzgFZy2.jpg

Edited by powbmps
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19 minutes ago, powbmps said:

I would be curious to see what the plate looks like that you have in your boat. 

Mine is the "full round" version.  I have not replaced it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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