Header 2021
Showing posts with label Tartan 42 V-drive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tartan 42 V-drive. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Short ...
... weekend, that is. (Think on it, some of you are sure to get it.) It rained like crazy yesterday and last night. Kind of an "ops check" for the port we bedded last weekend. Turns out we got the screen / seal in backwards so it leaked. But it was an easy fix.
The V-drive isn't going to be as easy, but now there is some hope it will not be a complete disaster. Pulling the drive yesterday took less than an hour. Which suggests either, a) I am a pretty good mechanic or, b) I have way too much practice with getting the V-drive out of a Tartan 42. ("B" is probably it.) My assessment, echoed by Walter Machine guru Don, is that the V-drive itself is undamaged. Don described some hardware to me that didn't sound like what we used the first time around. So we are going to get some and, along with replacing the coupling on the prop shaft, (part still to be determined) put it back together and see what we see. Likely a couple of weeks yet, but not the disaster it could have been.
The weekend is short because needs have me back in the city tomorrow and probably stuck there until next Friday. It is also short because, after the V-drive got pulled, the incessant rain has put a damper on my mojo ... boat work slowed to a stop. I did lend a hand pumping out a half-dozen or so boats that were in danger of sinking due to the rain. Everything on a boat needs constant maintenance including, clearly, the cockpit scuppers. On some boats a full cockpit oozes water into the hull through a variety of built in leaks. (Hard to imagine how the designers missed such an obvious threat to the boat. Oh wait, no it isn't.) Sink drains go under, then gunnel's, followed shortly by the whole boat. One of the nicest, best kept boats in the marina suffered some similar chain of events (details yet to be determined) and was found this morning with the cabin full up to the tops of the settees. An industrial sized, gas-engine-driven pump was deployed to keep her off the bottom. She is a dirty mess, but will soon be the toast of the fleet once again.
The moral of the story? Best be near one's boat when it's raining like stink. That way you'll know if she's starting to sink.
You're welcome.
The V-drive isn't going to be as easy, but now there is some hope it will not be a complete disaster. Pulling the drive yesterday took less than an hour. Which suggests either, a) I am a pretty good mechanic or, b) I have way too much practice with getting the V-drive out of a Tartan 42. ("B" is probably it.) My assessment, echoed by Walter Machine guru Don, is that the V-drive itself is undamaged. Don described some hardware to me that didn't sound like what we used the first time around. So we are going to get some and, along with replacing the coupling on the prop shaft, (part still to be determined) put it back together and see what we see. Likely a couple of weeks yet, but not the disaster it could have been.
The weekend is short because needs have me back in the city tomorrow and probably stuck there until next Friday. It is also short because, after the V-drive got pulled, the incessant rain has put a damper on my mojo ... boat work slowed to a stop. I did lend a hand pumping out a half-dozen or so boats that were in danger of sinking due to the rain. Everything on a boat needs constant maintenance including, clearly, the cockpit scuppers. On some boats a full cockpit oozes water into the hull through a variety of built in leaks. (Hard to imagine how the designers missed such an obvious threat to the boat. Oh wait, no it isn't.) Sink drains go under, then gunnel's, followed shortly by the whole boat. One of the nicest, best kept boats in the marina suffered some similar chain of events (details yet to be determined) and was found this morning with the cabin full up to the tops of the settees. An industrial sized, gas-engine-driven pump was deployed to keep her off the bottom. She is a dirty mess, but will soon be the toast of the fleet once again.
The moral of the story? Best be near one's boat when it's raining like stink. That way you'll know if she's starting to sink.
You're welcome.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Parade of failure
We went for a long sail yesterday with Jeff and Co. on Gail Force. It was a romping good sail until late in the afternoon when Jeff was forced to fire up his engine to bring us home. Speaking of engines...
Deb did a lot of research this weekend piecing together parts of Kintala's history and trying to figure out how we ended up where we are in spite of our best efforts; badly broken boat, falling behind schedule, and struggling to figure out how to pay for it all. She got a lot more done this weekend than did I, though I did manage to unbolt the mount plate from the old tranny and bolt on the new one.
"There," I thought to myself with the last bolt snugged up, "the tranny is ready to install...at least we are making a little progress."
Not so fast, Buckwheat. Something went bad somewhere that started this whole cascade of shattered metal bits, and Deb pointed me to the right place based on something she had read on failed V-drives...engine mounts.
The moment she said it all the pieces fell into place. And, since there are a lot of big parts already removed, I could get a pretty good look at the starboard side forward engine mount - which is totally and completely hammered. You know how old, really old, really old and used up rubber gets, brittle like cheap plastic, chunks breaking off with black dust spread around here and there? It would be nice if the engine mounts on Kintala looked that good.
Here is what my survey says about engine mounts: "...the engine mounts are in good condition securely attached to the longitudinal stringers..." Just to add insult to injury, here is the comment from the mechanical inspection: "V-drive fluid/oil - Level, Color, Smell - ACCEPTABLE, Signs of debris, NONE"
Here is where we stand. The engine mounts are toast; installing a new tranny and V-drive would be a complete waste of time and $$. New mounts go in first. Next will be a new damper plate, since the tranny warranty is void without one. Then (Buckwheat) the tranny can go on. The V-drive goes in last and all I have to do then is figure out how to line all this stuff up so the shaft runs true.
Moral of the story? The next time you get a survey or mechanical inspection done on a boat make sure someone looks at the engine mounts. Better yet, do it yourself. If they don't look freaking perfect get a big, big chunk knocked off the going-in price or walk away and don't look back. Your bank account will thank you.
My gift to you...no charge.
p.s. To be fair an item on the the mechanical inspection "repair" list included replacing the engine mounts. When I asked why, given that the survey explicitly stated that they were in good condition, I was told the adjustment studs were corroded and it would difficult to alien the shaft next time that was needed. That same list included repairing the engine pre-heat system which, in fact, works perfectly. The mechanic doing the inspection didn't know how to use it.
Deb did a lot of research this weekend piecing together parts of Kintala's history and trying to figure out how we ended up where we are in spite of our best efforts; badly broken boat, falling behind schedule, and struggling to figure out how to pay for it all. She got a lot more done this weekend than did I, though I did manage to unbolt the mount plate from the old tranny and bolt on the new one.
"There," I thought to myself with the last bolt snugged up, "the tranny is ready to install...at least we are making a little progress."
Not so fast, Buckwheat. Something went bad somewhere that started this whole cascade of shattered metal bits, and Deb pointed me to the right place based on something she had read on failed V-drives...engine mounts.
The moment she said it all the pieces fell into place. And, since there are a lot of big parts already removed, I could get a pretty good look at the starboard side forward engine mount - which is totally and completely hammered. You know how old, really old, really old and used up rubber gets, brittle like cheap plastic, chunks breaking off with black dust spread around here and there? It would be nice if the engine mounts on Kintala looked that good.
Here is what my survey says about engine mounts: "...the engine mounts are in good condition securely attached to the longitudinal stringers..." Just to add insult to injury, here is the comment from the mechanical inspection: "V-drive fluid/oil - Level, Color, Smell - ACCEPTABLE, Signs of debris, NONE"
Here is where we stand. The engine mounts are toast; installing a new tranny and V-drive would be a complete waste of time and $$. New mounts go in first. Next will be a new damper plate, since the tranny warranty is void without one. Then (Buckwheat) the tranny can go on. The V-drive goes in last and all I have to do then is figure out how to line all this stuff up so the shaft runs true.
Moral of the story? The next time you get a survey or mechanical inspection done on a boat make sure someone looks at the engine mounts. Better yet, do it yourself. If they don't look freaking perfect get a big, big chunk knocked off the going-in price or walk away and don't look back. Your bank account will thank you.
My gift to you...no charge.
p.s. To be fair an item on the the mechanical inspection "repair" list included replacing the engine mounts. When I asked why, given that the survey explicitly stated that they were in good condition, I was told the adjustment studs were corroded and it would difficult to alien the shaft next time that was needed. That same list included repairing the engine pre-heat system which, in fact, works perfectly. The mechanic doing the inspection didn't know how to use it.
Monday, October 17, 2011
V-Drive Blues
Not so much a case of the blues, maybe a case of the flu, or even pneumonia? A few weeks ago when the new engine noise showed up I said something about it sounding like the V-drive, maybe the transmission, but probably the drive. Silly me. It is both.
The racket we heard as Kintala drifted to a stop in the marina last weekend was the V-drive disintegrating into a housing full of chewed up parts and 90 wt gear oil gravy steeped in metal shards. No big surprise there, though it has been a long time since I have pulled such a blowed-up bit out of a machine. When the drive went it took the output flange of the transmission with it. That flange is part of the shaft, which is apparently as deep into the transmission as one can delve. So the transmission is toast. We just ordered a replacement for a few pennies less than two SBUs. (SBU = Standard Boat Unit = $1000.) The V-drive folks say they may be able to overhaul their unit, so Deb is out shipping it. I'm guessing they will open the box, snort and laugh and poke each other, and then we will buy a new V-drive to go with our new tranny. Total for getting Kintala under power once again? If it comes out any less than 4 SBUs it will be a surprise.
Today has been a day full of learning new things; how to take a V-drive out of a Tartan, that I need a special wrench to get the lower port mount bolt of the transmission loose (I believe I have just such a wrench...at home...transmission removal to be completed at a later date.) and, if you move the prop drive shaft just 1/2 inch forward once it is free from the V-drive, lake water will will spew into the bilge at an astounding rate and startle the snot out of an aircraft mechanic. (The shaft is now securely fixed in place so it can't move again!)
When we bought this boat I tried as best as I know how to avoid just such a development, spending SBUs on inspections and repairs done by reputable people and organizations. This one though, is really getting me close to being an unhappy camper. One look was all it took to know that this V-drive has been making shinies for a long, long time. When it started making noise it wasn't telling me it was getting ready to fail. No, it was telling me that it had failed a long time ago and was about to implode. Since I have no history with this boat I missed the memo. But the son-of-a-wanna-be-wrench-bending-bozo who changed the gear oil the last time, and probably the time before that, and maybe the time before that, should have gotten it highlighted and in bold print. And tell me, just what does a mechanic do during a $600 mechanical inspection, count the sockets in his tool drawer? Polish screwdrivers? Juggle spanner wrenches? If only I had known then what I know now I would have paid him an extra half a SBU to take a dribble of V-drive, tranny and engine oil, rub it between his finger and thumb, and hold it up to the sunlight. I fear though that even if he had, and as a result had driven a quarter inch shard of tortured metal into his skin, he would have completely missed the relevance of the blood flowing down his finger and called the drive good to go.
Since it would be impossible not to be discouraged at getting burned by so-called experts, I'm just going to go ahead and be discouraged. One never knows how things will end up but the thought is that this is going to delay our departure some. What was a "to-do" list has exploded into a major work order. Getting it all done and then paying for it is going to take considerable effort - and maybe a little more time than originally hoped.
So I'm not going to waste any effort trying to keep a stiff upper lip, look at the good side, think positive, or any other such idiotic make-nice chatter. I'm just going to accept discouragement as part of the deal, grab a rag, and get back to work.
p.s. The tranny came out today. For the mechanics among you...getting to the problem bolt required; a) pull the starter, b) pull the shifter arm off the shaft, c) remove 4 nuts and pull the shifter housing, d) pull the bottom two shifter housing studs out of the tranny case. (There isn't near enough room in there for a stud puller, which was okay since I didn't have one at hand. Two nuts locked together did the trick.) Then a 9/16 crow's foot on a long extension was just enough leverage to break the bolt loose without harming the engine case; which was the real concern since the tranny is trashed anyway.
p.p.s. I promise to be in a better mood when stuff starts going back on the boat that actually works.
The racket we heard as Kintala drifted to a stop in the marina last weekend was the V-drive disintegrating into a housing full of chewed up parts and 90 wt gear oil gravy steeped in metal shards. No big surprise there, though it has been a long time since I have pulled such a blowed-up bit out of a machine. When the drive went it took the output flange of the transmission with it. That flange is part of the shaft, which is apparently as deep into the transmission as one can delve. So the transmission is toast. We just ordered a replacement for a few pennies less than two SBUs. (SBU = Standard Boat Unit = $1000.) The V-drive folks say they may be able to overhaul their unit, so Deb is out shipping it. I'm guessing they will open the box, snort and laugh and poke each other, and then we will buy a new V-drive to go with our new tranny. Total for getting Kintala under power once again? If it comes out any less than 4 SBUs it will be a surprise.
Today has been a day full of learning new things; how to take a V-drive out of a Tartan, that I need a special wrench to get the lower port mount bolt of the transmission loose (I believe I have just such a wrench...at home...transmission removal to be completed at a later date.) and, if you move the prop drive shaft just 1/2 inch forward once it is free from the V-drive, lake water will will spew into the bilge at an astounding rate and startle the snot out of an aircraft mechanic. (The shaft is now securely fixed in place so it can't move again!)
When we bought this boat I tried as best as I know how to avoid just such a development, spending SBUs on inspections and repairs done by reputable people and organizations. This one though, is really getting me close to being an unhappy camper. One look was all it took to know that this V-drive has been making shinies for a long, long time. When it started making noise it wasn't telling me it was getting ready to fail. No, it was telling me that it had failed a long time ago and was about to implode. Since I have no history with this boat I missed the memo. But the son-of-a-wanna-be-wrench-bending-bozo who changed the gear oil the last time, and probably the time before that, and maybe the time before that, should have gotten it highlighted and in bold print. And tell me, just what does a mechanic do during a $600 mechanical inspection, count the sockets in his tool drawer? Polish screwdrivers? Juggle spanner wrenches? If only I had known then what I know now I would have paid him an extra half a SBU to take a dribble of V-drive, tranny and engine oil, rub it between his finger and thumb, and hold it up to the sunlight. I fear though that even if he had, and as a result had driven a quarter inch shard of tortured metal into his skin, he would have completely missed the relevance of the blood flowing down his finger and called the drive good to go.
Since it would be impossible not to be discouraged at getting burned by so-called experts, I'm just going to go ahead and be discouraged. One never knows how things will end up but the thought is that this is going to delay our departure some. What was a "to-do" list has exploded into a major work order. Getting it all done and then paying for it is going to take considerable effort - and maybe a little more time than originally hoped.
So I'm not going to waste any effort trying to keep a stiff upper lip, look at the good side, think positive, or any other such idiotic make-nice chatter. I'm just going to accept discouragement as part of the deal, grab a rag, and get back to work.
p.s. The tranny came out today. For the mechanics among you...getting to the problem bolt required; a) pull the starter, b) pull the shifter arm off the shaft, c) remove 4 nuts and pull the shifter housing, d) pull the bottom two shifter housing studs out of the tranny case. (There isn't near enough room in there for a stud puller, which was okay since I didn't have one at hand. Two nuts locked together did the trick.) Then a 9/16 crow's foot on a long extension was just enough leverage to break the bolt loose without harming the engine case; which was the real concern since the tranny is trashed anyway.
p.p.s. I promise to be in a better mood when stuff starts going back on the boat that actually works.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)