Volvo Saildrive Problem: not engaging forward nor in reverse

[Mandala5]

Thank you all for the help, for getting me the service manual and thank you Jim for explaining how to remove the upper gear assembly. I was the helper to the Volvo dealer the last time so I should be fine doing it again. Unless someone comes up with a better idea, I will fly to Florida with the upper gear assembly to have it fixed.

[Mandala5]

BAD SURPRISE: Today I opened the upper gear assembly of the Saildrive and removed the top gears and the clutch. Then we decided to make a test: one person was holding the bottom gear (the one at the bottom of the upper gear assembly connecting directly to the vertical shaft going down the foot of the Saildrive) while I went underwater to manually turn the propeller. Result: I was able to turn the propeller easily while the other person was preventing the gear from turning! When I was not holding the propeller and the other person was turning the gear manually, the propeller was turning underwater. It is like the gears in the bottom part of the Saildrive can do their job as long as there is no torque applied. (BTW our propeller is a J-Prop and appears fine). Does anyone have an idea??? It appears to me like something is very wrong inside the bottom part of the Saildrive. Otherwise, could it be the propeller turning around the shaft??? I don't think it's really possible the way it's inserted over the shaft of the Saildrive.

[colemj]

It sounds like you spun the prop hub bushing. Bad news is that you will need a new prop hub (or whole prop if you have a fixed prop). Good news is that this will be much cheaper and easier than what you thought was the problem.

Mark

[Mandala5]

Hi Mark, I am coming to the same conclusion. It seams like the J-prop propeller is turning loose over the shaft of the saildrive. In fact, to be more precise, the forward part of the J-prop (it's about 4 millimeters thick) seems to be attached to the shaft but the rest of the prop is turning loose. Like if the internal bushing sheared off the rest of the propeller. I never heard of such a problem before but it's the only explanation I have so far. The good news is that we have a spare (fixed) propeller... I just need to find a 14 mm Allen key to remove the J-prop from the saildrive shaft.

[DougR]

Well, tell us what the final problem turned out to be....
DougR

[Skjongen]

If anyone has the shop manual for this saildrive it woyld be very much appriciated if I could get a copy :-)
My drive is a SD10 from Nanni, and in the middle of Biscaya it just decided to resign.
There is no sound from the drive at all, and the propeller can easely be turned by hand when the drive is in gear.
There wad no prewarning at all. It worked perfect since purchased new in 2009.

Any advice is highly appriciated, im currently in Le Havre, France on my way home to Norway.

[Mandala5]

Just be careful to make the right diagnosis before you take your saildrive transmission apart. I had the exact same symptoms and after taking apart and re-assembling the gearbox, I discovered that there was a shock absorber inside my feathering propeller. This shock absorber had failed and the propeller was spinning freely over the shaft simulating a clutch issue. Another possibility is a 'spun hub prop" where the inserted bushing break away from the rest of the propeller causing it to turn freely over the middle part of the propeller. (this is more common on power boat though). What type of propeller do you have?

[Henryh]

Hello Skjongen
You can download the manual from Manuals scheepsmotoren marine-engines download select Saildrives from the left hand menu then ZF SD-10.
Make sure the oil in the drive is NOT ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) the correct oil is ordinary no frills 15W-40.
I guess it could also be the damper plate which is between the engine and gearbox.
If its not an oil, prop or damper plate problem then its most likely the clutches. How many hours has it done
When the clutches are working OK it will give clunk noise when going into gear.

Henry

PS: please let us know the outcome

[Skjongen]

Thanks a lot for your advice Henryh and Mandala5.

I moved the engine forward and you were spot on Henry

The damper plate was infact broken, so that's an easy and inexpencive repair :-D

This forum rules

Stein.

[AnamCara-A]

Good-day everyone.

I am currently experiencing the frustrations of gleening advice about my SD10 problem from the supplier of my two Nanni 21hp Saildrives.

I built our schionning Wilderness 1100 over a ten year period from 2003, launching in October 2013. I bought the Nanni engines with SD 10 Saildrives in 2007 as I had to set up the engine beds before completing the top sides, interior and the rest of the boat. All the information/colour glossy ''Manuel d'Instruction' specified ATF only as well as the plate on the Saildrive itself. The Saildrive that failed in both forward and reverse has 491.4 hours. Regretably I was never informed to change over to SAE 15W40 and so to this day was still running ATF.

As an aside, I was fortunate the the failure occurred at Mackay Marina when attempting to reverse into a pen. The boat just kept going straight ahead when I was attempting a reverse park. Good thing the Marina attendant Cameron was there as he was able to push me off from banging into nearest cat. I finally secured the boat and here it is,...still in the same spot waiting to get some info about repairs. Originally I thought the prop had fallen off!

I have since changed the oil to SAE15W40 with no joy. Looked at the prop,...it is still there, checked linkages,...all OK a and ran engine to see of it was a prop failure (thanks to Forum Members).

I am now resigned to the fact that (99.99%) that I am going to have to look at the clutches and am waiting for the Nanni Rep to get back to me about effecting a repair.

In the meantime, does anyone have the repair procedure for replacing the clutches? Can the repair be undertaken in situ (seems so) and can you acquire a replacement clutch assembly or is it best to change the whole top end? Does anyone know what Nannis position is on this type of failure which was obviously aggravated by the constant use of ATF?

I see where Nanni came to the party during one thread.

Any comments or advice appreciated.

Gary

[Skjongen]

In my case the damper plate between the engine and the saildrive failed, and that is a really easy fix.
I could not feel or hear anything happening in the drive when engaging, and the propeller was turning without resistance with the drive engaged and the engine stopped.

[AnamCara-A]

I am unsure as to what is the "damper plate' in the transmission as it is not identified in the parts breakdown. Could you please be a little more specific about what the problem was and what you did
because if it is a simple fix for my problem then I owe you a beer or two.

[Skjongen]

Hi.
The damper plate is mounted on the engine, and absorbs shocks between the engine and the drive.
If you disonnect the drive from the engine and pull the engine a bit forward you will see it.

It's actually two small plates connected together, with 6 small springs. Hopefully my English is to bad :-)



Stein.

[Skjongen]

My problem was described earlier in this thread, nothing happened forward or reverse.

The plate is mounted on the engine, not the drive. You have to disconnect the engine from the drive and pull the engine forward maybe 20-30cm or so then you'll see the damper plate with 8 small springs (if they are still there).

If its broken then it's just 8 small hex screws to remove it.

I'm no expert, but if no "action" can be felt or heard from the drive when engaging with engin running, and the propeller can easely be turned with engine stopped and drive engaged, I would check the plate before opening the drive.

[Skjongen]

Damper plate:
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/blac...late_scale.jpg