Yanmar engine-trans noise in forward gear

[mhanna]

I am hoping someone can help me out, I have now been looking at Albin 28's for months trying to find a good one (not that their not all good, some just kept up in better shape )
Anyway I saw one with a Yanmar 300 and when putting the boat into forward gear (even while tied to the slip) we can hear a low cluck, cluck, cluck that happens with the engine rpms at idle. The dealer said this is a known noise that disapears with rpms (we did not leave the slip)... of course alot on noises disapear with rpms.... The noise did not happen with the boat in reverse.
The dealer said there is no reason to have the trans fixed becouse it is a known noise that comes from a wearable part of the trans... the engine only has 450 hours...
Anyway I will try to call some mechanics this coming week, but would like to hear from othe Yanmar owners, have they heard of this ?
Thanks in advance....
Matt

[chiefrcd]

There is a "plate" of some kind in the Velvet Drive transmission that makes a clucking noise and I've read about that at various places on the internet. I have almost 900 hours on a 1999 6lp300STE with a Velvet Drive 5000 and I have NO clucking noise. It might be a "known" noise, but it doesn't make it a good noise. If the boat has any issues you should negotiate out with the previous owner to have it fixed as part of the deal. I will tell you...these things cost a arm and a leg to have fixed. Get a good surveyor and a good mechanic and deal deal deal.....I wouldn't except any issues with the engine or transmission. BTW if your boat is older than about a 2002, make sure that the engine has the new valve seal update.....big issue with older Yanmars. Please feel free to e mail me if I can help you with any more information.

[Tuxedo]

At really low idle, transmissions tend to rattle. By really low, I'm talking about < 500 rpm. Were you able to run the speed up at all?

At any rate, I agree that a good mechanical survey is called for, with repairs on the sellers tab if necessary.

[Elizabeth Ann]

I've never heard of any 'known' noises outside of the Yanmar valve problem.

[mhanna]

So I have called around and even spoke to Mack Boring. I was told that durning a low idle while in gear and very little load on the transmission there could be a rattle on the dampining plate, just like chiefrcd advised. It should go away with a little load (increase in rpm). If it does not go away then there could be an issue, otherwise it could be considered normal noise. They validated that it does not happen in reverse. I will have to see....
I also exchanged mails with someone over at boatdeisel.com who had a similar noise and he advised that he has had for years and it goes away with very little increase in rpm.
I also will be looking into the valve seal issues close...

I will let ya know how it goes, thanks all !!

Matt

[Russell]

I had this noise in my last boat and it is fairly common. It sounds like something rattling around in the transmission. However the dampening springs can pop out when they wear requiring an expensive repair. But 450 hours seems too soon for that. I have not heard what it sounds like with a loose spring but it is probably louder.

[Mariner]

Don't even consider buying a boat that you haven't had the opportunity to take out of the slip and run up to full speed.

And ALWAYS hire a surveyor when you're dealing with anything over $50,000.