1997 Challenger 1800 engine won't turn....driveshaft issue?

[mobilefleet]

my starboard 787 motor seems locked up and won't turn at PTO with vice grips on the driveshaft. So I went under the boat and observed a white round plastic piece barely sticking out (a sharp edge is all I can see), that looks like it's lodged in there around the driveshaft, just about in line with where the rear of the weedless grate ends as you look through the grate. When I looked at the other engine which runs fine, the piece is much more visible and looks like a small white marble. Is this some sort of bushing and if so, how do I remove this and replace? I'm thinking it's why the motor won't turn

 

[snikwad003]

Sounds like the plastic sleeve that is supposed to help keep the rope off the shaft when it gets sucked in there, if so you can just pull it out of there and don't replace it. Can you post a foto

 

[illru]

I would pull that pump off and see if the motor spins. And spin the impeller in the pump. If those spin independently then I would look for some kinda binding up. Bent drive shaft, motor moved on its mounts.

 

[mobilefleet]

I got the jet pump off and looked inside the thru hull area at the rear of the boat. The driveshaft protection sleeve which I thought may have broken and jammed up in there is indeed broken, but not blocking anything as it was a clean break off of a piece at one time somewhere and about half of the sleeve remains. The impeller spins freely inside the housing and the jet pump came off easily.

Now my problem is, I can't figure how to remove the driveshaft as it's nearly impossible to hold the rear bellows while looking for the so-called clip which i don't see.......is there a special tool or method for holding the bellows? The driveshaft still won't turn with a pair of vice grips on it so i'd like to remove it and put the impeller tool inside the PTO (if it fits) and then put a wrench and breaker bar on it to see if I can free it up. The port engine was also stuck but I got it free with just the vice grips and pb blaster, and now I got it running good. Would like to do the same with the starboard

 

[illru]

Put the pump back on, finger tight the nuts. Then go back to the engine bay and push on the stainless steel ring. It might put up a fight if it has not been off in a while. When you see the c-clip or o-ring, push or cut it off. Then pull the pump off and wrap a rope around the groove on the drive shaft just past the spindles, and pull. You sould here the stainless steel ring drop off inside the engine compartment as the drive shaft comes out.

 

[mobilefleet]

finally got the friggin driveshaft off.....and put an impeller tool into the pto with a ratchet on it, tried to turn the pto and no go. I also tried to remove the starter just to verify it wasn't jammed into the flywheel- and of course the top allen bolt broke off flush. Looks like I'll be pulling the engine (starboard side). Is carb removal necessary or can it be pulled just removing the fuel lines and throttle cable? Plus it looks like the front motor mount is hard to see. Any tips?

 

[illru]

Oil lines and chock cable! You can get at the mounts without pulling anything but it is a PTA. Be sure to keep a eye out for mount shims.

 

[mobilefleet]

I have the motor out. Some tips I learned: Only loosen the engine mount SINGLE bolts at the front and rear, not the 2 bolts that hold the actual mount to the boat hull as they have the shims under them and are a pain to try and put back with a motor in the boat. DO NOT mount the motor securely until all lines and electricals are connected, and the biggest tip of them all, don't remove the cylindrical exhaust pipe that is connected to the waterbox. Leave it on. On that side of the motor there is only a water jacket line and an oil feed line below that exhaust piece and they can be put back on by turning engine on its side while in the engine bay, before bolting down engine. Just loosen the clamp and slide motor back to get the exhaust off the waterbox. It's hard enough leaning over a huge engine bay in these things trying to use a wrench. Replace oil lines and starter while you have it out. You don't want to be replacing a starter the next week after you swapped the engine.