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Electrical Changes On MV Summer School,
a 4600 SCB W/450 Cummins Engines

Seawater pump:

3700 SCR, and the engine began to shake

Ozone Generator:

Navigation helpful hint:

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4200 SCR
Master Mariners, Product Specialist, Chief of the Boat
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" There isn't any symbolism. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man.
The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The shark are all sharks no better and no worse.
All the symbolism that people say is shit. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know. "
- Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961), U.S. author
1952, Of The Old Man and the Sea, published that year.
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Here we go.

Electrical Changes On MV Summer School, a 4600 SCB W/450 Cummins Engines

Were back 58 days, 2604 miles and we still speak to each other. Minor underway repairs included changing out a failed alternator and a failed seawater pump. Half a day each to replace, and each needs a few words.

The alternator first, this is our third alternator replacement, the first two were from a factory miswire to the alternator itself. This alternator tried put out its rated 130 amp load for over a 6 hour period in the Dismal Swamp, and then gave up. The rebuild shop in Norfolk said "The Stator tested all right but showed signs on tremendous overheating," and they suggested that it be replaced along with the blown regulator. I agreed, and looked at the boats wiring again. Since only one of the alternators can operate at a time in the factory configuration, I opted to rewire it, I removed the Starboard alternator from the battery isolator. This took 5 minutes. Now both alternators operate all the time, and I get 260 amps available to recharge rather than the 130 amps. It also splits the charging load so that each alternator charges two batteries, (I have a inverter hence the 4th battery). If anyone else wants to try this give me a call and I'll walk you through how its done and why.

Seawater pump. The Cummins 450 engines use a Sherwood pump, P1730X, I think the 330's and 370's do too but you need to check to be sure. Well, the literature says to rebuild them every 4 years. Which I did prior to our trip this summer, but one failed again anyway, I spent just over $1,000 to have both rebuilt, this includes labor and tax. After the pump failed I ordered a new pump from DEPCO pump in Clearwater, DEPCO is the king of pumps, (www.depcopump.com) 727-446-1656 and had them ship it to me in the Chesapeake, I'm having the old one rebuilt again and will keep it as a spare. Failure of the pump can lead to air entering the cooling water causing inadequate cooling and elevated engine temperatures if not addressed quickly. Elevated temperatures can remove the temper, (hardness) from the rings and you will start to burn more oil. Which also leads to premature engine failure. The pump has two seals, one for the engine oil, the second for the cooling water. Premature failure can be seen by looking for stains coming from the shaft opening of the pump, if your oil seal is leaking you see oil, or if is the water seal, you see seawater residue, (typically a green stain, or in this case brown stain from the tanic water of the NC ICW) its time to fix it. The inspection will require a paper towel, flashlight and mirror to see the sides and bottom of the pump.

You can see the brown water stain from a leaky seal, replace or rebuild it NOW.

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Maxum Owners Forum
3700 SCR, and the engine began to shake

cbiesanz@hbci.com
Charles Biesanz, Winona MN
writes:

We have corresponded before and I love the website.  I have a 1999 with 150 hours on 7.4 310hp mercs, all fresh water.  I bought the boat last August, and it had been stored for two years.  The engines ran smoothly through the fall, although there was a prop ding on the port side and there was some vibration involved.  I had the marina remove the props over the winter and they were reworked.  We put the boat in last weekend, fired up the engines and headed for the river. When I pushed the port rpm to 1600 the .  When I pushed it higher it seemed to smooth a little but when I got to 2600 rpm it began to shake violently.  I immediately reduced the throttle and idled back to port. 

Any ideas as to the source of the vibration?  It really has me bummed out.  I read your tips about checking the engine mounts as well as the eight bolts that connect the shaft to the transmission, so I am going to check that out tomorrow.

I would certainly appreciate any tips or suggestions you or Pascal may have.

Thank you. Sincerely,

Charles Biesanz
Winona MN

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Jim Clausen replys:

Charles, I would sugest you check to see that the props have been tighened properly, they could be loose on the shaft and have just enough extra play to cause the vibration. Jim Clausen

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Pascal Gademer, replys:

Chuck

How is the prop?  odd that you would bend the shaft and not the prop?  any evidence of scratches or marks on the strut or shaft?  if you hit something to the point of bending the shaft there should be scars.  I'd take a good
look under the boat before pulling it out.

I never really looked at the shafts turning, but I think I did once and the shaft seems to woble a litle bit.  I'll have to take a look to get some reference if it happens again.

let me know how it turns out...

Pascal

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Dear Pascal,

We have narrowed the vibration down to the propeller shaft.  Maybe we hit something without knowing it.  Is there any chance that the velvet drive transmission is involved?  I noticed on the website that there seems to be a lot of port side trouble with the velvet drives, although this may be on the larger boats.  We could visually see the prop shaft jumping around under the engine, so we are thinking that the prop is probably not involved.  The vibration caused by the prop would more normally be behind the strut and not all the way to the engine.  Does this make any sense?
We intend to pull the boat on Monday and slide the prop shaft out for examination.  I still find it hard to believe that a 1.75" shaft could be bent without knowing it, but we are out of other ideas.  Also, are there drawings available for the velvet drive transmission?  My model is 20 02 500.  Is this a 5000 series?
Thanks is advance for your time and attention.

Best Regards.  Chuck Biesanz

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Pascal Gademer wrote:

It almosts sounds like trash in the prop. happened to me a couple of times, cleared by runing that engine in reverse.
I occasionally have a similar problem on the starb. engine, like an electronic issue.  Shutting it down and restarting cleares it. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 restarts, and it only happens once in a while.

Pascal
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Dear Pascal, Jim, and Don,

I thank you all for your kind (and well paid) assistance in helping me diagnose my vibration problem.  Without taking the boat out of the water, my mechanic solved the vibration problem.  I have the velvet drive v-drive setup where the prop shaft passes through the transmission and has a brass sleeve/coupler on the front end (toward the bow) which is held in place by a crown nut with cotter pin.  That bushing coupler has four bolts where it is connected, and THREE OF THE BOLTS WERE SHEARED!
There must have been a problem prior, because someone had replaced one of the grade 8 bolts with a stainless steel bolt (weaker) and this bolt was too long, so they placed about three washers on the bolt to get it tight! Two of the bolts that were sheared had rust clear across the shear point and the third bolt had just a little rust.  The theory is that two bolts only were holding the propeller shaft tight and the third bolt sheared recently, allowing only the weaker SS bolt to hold the shaft somewhat in place (this velvet drive is used for both the 2" shaft that services the diesel version and the 1.75" shaft that is used for the MerCruiser gas setup).  Anyway, I think I remember seeing a warning to check the coupler bolts because they had become loose.  Now I can add that the bolts front and back should be checked to make sure they are intact as well. 

I fired the boat up tonight and took both engines right to the floor (4300 rpm on my rig).  I pegged it at 32 mph wide open and ran it like that for 20 minutes.  It ran like a dream and my smile was also wide open.  I told my friends that there is good news and bad news...This problem is fixed, but there will surely be another problem.

My hats off to you all for joining together and sharing all the information you provided and the good will as well.  If I can ever be of assistance to any of you, please feel free to get in touch with me.  If you ever get to Minnesota, I'll be glad to give you a ride on the Mississippi in a MAXUM!

Thanks again, fellas, really.  And may your boating days be good days.

Sincerely, Chuck Biesanz

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Maxum Owners Forum
Ozone Generator in Boats

info@libertysignshoppe.com writes:

Hi Jim:

I just read the solution to my yellow stains (styrene) in your hull section. Thanks for that. I also noticed the tip about keeping the bilge clean with diluted bleach (will stain and weaken fiberglass) and an Ozone (O3), although effective in temporarily odor removal, will attack and deteriorate rubber, so it's not a good product for the boat.

Ozone has also shown to be bad for all kind of lung and respitory ailments, in particular some asthma and allergy patients. Never have the ozone generator on while occupying the vessel. The Navy has banned ozone generators in living spaces, but only uses them to treat potable water (they don't use chlorine, for safety concerns).

Sea ya,
Dennis Heetbrink

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Maxum Owners Forum
Navigation helpful hint.

When we travel our navigator uses these paste on arrows to plot our position. When they look away from the chart they can quickly go back and see exactly where they were. Available in all office stores.
Extra Credit, where are we on the chart? Sarasota FL

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Maxum Owners Forum
Cleaning the non skid on the swim platform:

I can now do this in less than 5 minutes and it gets so clean, the rest of the boat looks dirty, no mater that its all been freshly waxed! The product is, "ON-OFF" by Mary Kate, sold in West Marine. Its a formula of 3 acids, and is incredably strong. Please never try to use this inside of the boat, and I strongly advise you never use it on anything but the swim platform. Jc


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Maxum Owners Forum
Master Mariners:

Our Master Mariners know all there is to know about their boats and share their knowledge with other owners of the same model boats, They are the repository of knowledge about the boat. The smaller the boat the easier it is to know. Some of our Master Mariners get E-mailed monthly, some once and quarter. Usually they are people who have owned boats before and plan on keep this particular boat for a while.
There are still a few models open, are you interested?

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For Sale:
Boats...

Yes, you can list your boat for sale on the Maxum Owners Website, if you a paid member its free. Send me your description and particulars, photos if you have them or we can use stock photos.
Jim Clausen mailto:billegates@aol.com

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For Sale:

I have for sale a Bare Radar Wing that will fit a 1997 to 1998 Maxum 4600 SCB (probably up to a 2000) I am told that a new one would be in excess of $4,000.00 I am willing to sell it for $1,500.00
Contact Joseph Savione, POB 962 Gloversville NY 12078, ph 518-725-5145 salvione@salvione.com

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