Clacking sound in neutral

pet575 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 12:29 pm

This season I've noticed that, from time to time, if I am sitting in the water at idle and in neutral I will hear a clacking sound from the rear of my boat that sounds like it is coming from right under the swim deck. When you're in the water outside the boat and hear it you can tell it is coming from somewhere around the outdrive area.

As soon as you put the boat in gear (either forward or reverse), the noise goes away immediately. If you go back to to neutral, it may not return at all. I've noticed it from time to time in the past couple of seasons but it seems to be either louder or more frequent this year.

My engine oil and outdrive lube is at the correct level. No issues with engine temp or anything. One thing I can't remember when I did last was lube the gimbal with the boat running.

Anyone got an idea what that noise is?

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:13 pm

http://www.boatered.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=166183

take a look at this, not sure if its the same noise, but he did get it fixed. Any extra fuzz on the drain plug magnet?

Toddely · **Posted:** Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:16 am

Pet575, Mine is doing the exact thing. I called my boat shop and explained the noise it was making to them and he said for me to grease the gimble bearing and see what it does. He wasn't to worried due to it not making the noise all the time, In gear nothing , neutral it was making the exact noise. My symptoms are identical to yours and the one listed. My mechanic is a four winns dealer and I even told him i would bring it in and they can pull it, hmmm making me wonder now.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:22 am

Toddely wrote:

Pet575, Mine is doing the exact thing. I called my boat shop and explained the noise it was making to them and he said for me to grease the gimble bearing and see what it does. He wasn't to worried due to it not making the noise all the time, In gear nothing , neutral it was making the exact noise. My symptoms are identical to yours and the one listed. My mechanic is a four winns dealer and I even told him i would bring it in and they can pull it, hmmm making me wonder now.

Mine's making the exact same noise in neutral only. Alpha 1 gen 2. Drive was just inspected 50 hours ago with a clean bill of health so I'm suspecting a bearing is going sad. I'll worry about it this winter. Not really concerned I can pickup a rebuilt drive with warranty for a few hundred if need be! Gotta love owning a Mercruiser!

Toddely · **Posted:** Tue Aug 05, 2014 12:17 pm

Mine is a VP Sx drive. That's what is funny, why is it only in neutral? shouldn't it be doing it all the time?

Surface Interval · **Posted:** Tue Aug 05, 2014 7:38 pm

My old 190 occasionally did that. It never seemed to be a problem. I am not sure if it was the u joints, the drive shaft in the gimbal bearing because of old compressed "o" rings, or gear backlash in the out drive. You might try replacing the two "o" rings on the drive shaft that slide into the gimbal bearing, and greasing the u joints and gimbal bearing next time you pull the out drive. If nothing else works you may need open up the out drive to inspect and re-shim to adjust gear backlash to get rid of the noise. Otherwise, just keep it in gear most of the time.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:28 am

The shade tree mechanic in me says its the U-Joints. When you put it in gear your exerting a load on it, so the noise stops. Kinda like the old days when your U-Joints were going bad in a car, they always made a racket until you accelerated, then the noise stopped.

LouC · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2014 6:27 am

If the boat's not in the water pull the drain plug and look at it. More fuzz than normal? Noises can be tough to troubleshoot. I have a mechanic's stethescope and that makes it easier. You can also take a sample of gear oil and send it to Blackstone Labs.
My Cobra is very quiet. Its had the same U-Joints on it the whole time I've owned it (since 2002), gimble was replaced once.

Toddely · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:39 am

Man I love this place

, This is the great thing about this forum. Everyone helps out. Thanks Guys Have a great week and weekend of boating.!!!!

204Angler · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:51 pm

what did the noise end up being? U-Joints? I am curious in case it happens to me in the future

pet575 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:25 am

Gonna be a little bit until I can take a close look at it. Won't be back to the lake until Labor Day Weekend so I'll try the gimbal lube and work on it from there.

www.iFourWinns.com

Clacking sound in neutral

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