Drive Dampers in Ski Boats

[@peglegtoo]

Ron You are a world of knowledge and your videos are really an outstanding service to the ski boat community. Thank you so much. Also, If the information is available it would be great to know the thickness of the sheet metal and springs on the triangle shaped damper plate.

[@georgesaraamonette1782]

You always does a fantastic job explaining how things work. Best wishes.

[@terrypannett8168]

Very informative and excellent information about the drive damper. Keep going on other parts and drives. Awesome stuff

[@eduardotapia6111]

Gracias Ron! Saludos desde Mazatlán Sinaloa México. 🇲🇽

[@jamesharmon5963]

I’m looking forward to you doing another restoration. I sure enjoyed the last one. 👊

[@rontanis1024]

Your welcome, we have another special project coming up soon

[@rontanis1024]

NOTE: I tend to interchange the technical terms of Harmonic and Torsional vibrations, the explanation is the same, the goal is to minimize the rotational "pulses" between the flywheel and transmission, think of it as Harmonics are the root cause and torsional vibrations are the problem needing to be smoothed out..so lets call them Dangerous Rotational Pulses now to be called DRP's

[@alesondak]

Hey Ron, I have a question unrelated to this video. Can you do a brief discussion on engines stalling at idle? I have a 1992 MasterCraft ProStar 190 and every so often it will stall when I’m idling. To restart it I pump the throttle twice and it starts right back up. It is carbureted and may just require the carb to be serviced. Is this common? And what are some troubleshooting options for this.

[@no1luhrs]

Ron, thank you so much for the post.

[@eduardotapia6111]

Gracias Ron! Saludos desde Mazatlán 🇲🇽

[@joshjones9878]

Super useful info - can you do a video on how to change the drive damper pls?

[@chadc6108]

These videos are such a great resource and Ron we do appreciate them and your insight. I know he didn’t mention the brand but 04-06, especially 05, Malibu’s were/are notorious for these failures. Keep that in mind when if in the market for one in that era. Keep the videos coming Ron!

[@davidbrown1060]

Yep, the transmission bell housing was made wrong.

[@chadc6108]

@@davidbrown1060 yeah, everything I’ve read/researched leads to a bad batch of bell housings having to do with the casting process.

[@rdprdputube]

Hi Ron, our searay cabin cruiser had that noise, I called transmission chatter since day one. We bought a 1990 almost 4 years ago. Just recently i backed it out of our slip, throttled up to about 800-900 rpm, not only to achieve 5mph speed, but it also eliminates that chatter. However, this time I got a very strong vibration. Put in reverse to be sure nothing was caught on the prop, went forward again and had the same vibration. It was severe enough, I returned to our slip. I've pulled out the damper plate. I can see where one spring is not centered anymore, it's been chewing itself loose, perhaps about to start scattering parts. Have you heard of these causing vibration? Ron Pargett

[@brenhad910]

Can you use part number MED-0007 for a 351W? I noticed on your site there is a “clipped ear” version. But MED-0007 looks like what you used in your ZF Hurth conversion video.

[@rontanis1024]

The MED-0007 is the clipped ear damper for the 351 Fofds

[@liquiddreamification]

Im rebuilding a correct craft with direct drive, saw the dampener plate. Had no idea what that was for. Makes sense. My velvet drive SCREAMS in reverse. And i noticed the strut was bent. Do you have a suitable replacement for a 70c, should i need one?

[@rontanis1024]

Velvet drives do make gear noise in reverse, this is normal, the damper plate rattle is present in neutral, forward, or reverse at idle then goes away with added RPM, that is the typical symptom indicating the damper springs are loose & going out. I would be more concerned with the bent strut and shaft alignment.

[@robert3325]

Hi I have a Velvet drive 1:1 AS1- 71c, serial number is 105456...red tag, do you have a damper for this?

[@jeremysherman1979]

Thank you for the info Ron ,Great video

[@shirangana]

Will these fit a 5.8 ford 351w with a velvet drive trans?

[@andybignell9676]

Hi, I have a ski nautique from 86. Recently I have heard the noise you mentioned at idle. Though the main problem is that it feels like it goes in and out of “gear” at low speed and if I try to take off quick it makes a strange crunching noise while taking off. Once it gets going the noise goes away and runs fine. Could what you showed in this video cause that or is the problem or is it more likely I be the transmission. Cheers, Andy.

[@amc1325]

Thank you for these videos!

[@aidanhughes2804]

I have a 97 prostar with a hurth 450D transmission. I don't necessarily hear anything at idle, but something sounds different. But, when accelerating, there is a loud knocking noise coming from the transmission. Is this a sign that the damper plates need to be replaced? I appreciate your videos so much!

[@rontanis1024]

Dampers usually rattle more at idle & go away as power is added...until they let go then they are quiet.

[@aidanhughes2804]

Ok, thank you. I did check for rod knock but it doesn’t knock as engine is reved out of gear and it seems to come from the transmission area. Any other idea of what it could be? As stated previously, it knocks very loudly as the boat is in gear and accelerates. Thank you so much again for your help!

[@rontanis1024]

@@aidanhughes2804 Sounds like you are going to need to take a look inside.

[@cannontaylor97]

Thanks you this is a great video! I have a 97 moomba boomerang with a pcm 40 trans. Today I was coming back from a nice day at the lake and I Suddenly startedd to have issues with my trans. I noticed it was working harder to go forward and reverse worked pretty good. I just cant tell the difference if it is the transmission or the damper plate?

[@rontanis1024]

These are not the symptoms of a damper plate problem, check fluid & make sure there is not ski line wrapped around the shaft

[@cannontaylor97]

Do you mean ski line rope wrapped around the shaft? I just noticed the boat starting to struggle to go forward and then it sarted to get hot! I let it cool down and then it was working in limp mode!

[@rontanis1024]

@@cannontaylor97 Yes, if you run over a ski line/rope, fishing line, etc. and it wraps around the shaft and binds up in the strut it will give similar symtoms.

[@cannontaylor97]

Yeah i have been lookin on the shaft it appears nothing on it!

[@cannontaylor97]

Thank you so much for responding and helping out! I wonder if it is a shaft alignment issue?

[@clarkgwozdecki6782]

haha just say it Ron. It was a Mastercraft with that Damper plate that blew up

[@stankthetank9375]

Is there a way I can tell if it’s my transmission. or drive damper causing rattle and grinding noise. Looking at the damper, there is rust but the springs feel tight. The trans is a borg Warner, same one in your video. The rattle/grinding noise is during low idle, reduces when speeding up. Thanks

[@rontanis1024]

Your symptoms indicate a worn damper, if the damper has has high hours change it, a damper is beginning to fail will appear to have tight springs by eye or hand feel, it takes special equipment to test these. When they fail beyond the initial failure phase you will then notice obvious problems.

[@stankthetank9375]

@@rontanis1024 thanks will do.

[@soprojj]

Is it imperative to remove the transmission from the bell housing? Or can you leave it and pull the trans/bell housing off as an assembly? Thanks for your time on this and your great videos.

[@rontanis1024]

It may be done that way but I never do, I always remove the gear, then the bellhousing. It also make aligning the trans shaft input into the damper a LOT easier.

[@soprojj]

@@rontanis1024 hey thanks for the speedy response! I will proceed with your tried and true method. Thanks so much for your time and expertise.

[@plainfieldmike1]

Great info, do you think putting too much ballast in ski/wakeboats is putting additional stress on crankshaft which then transfers to dampner plate? Because engine is lugging?

[@rontanis1024]

If you are propped right you will not be lugging the engine, however a ski boat or wakeboard boat works an engine MUCH harder than your typical car or truck

[@stankthetank9375]

If I I’m removing my engine on my 1989 inboard ski boat direct drive for full replacement. Can I keep the transmission connected until the motor is out? Thanks

[@rontanis1024]

Yes, when the boat was new the boat factory set the engine/trans assembly from a pallet complete into the boat, you can remove it the same way, then do what you need to to the boat or engine.

[@stankthetank9375]

Thanks!

[@stankthetank9375]

@@rontanis1024 with all the room to pull the engine I think I can handle it. through videos it looks like fairly simple. Making sure you disconnected all wires,fuel lines, exhaust,oil. Then disconnecting transmission from drive shaft. loosen motor mounts and transmission mount and the whole engine with the trans should just come out nice and slow? thanks for your help. Dont got the money to pay a shop to replace it.

[@Supanova70]

We were out last night and when i was throttling up it almost sounded like i neutral dropped the V-drives. Was not going fast at all. There was a chatter noise i throttled down right away then slowly limped in back to the dock with no problem. My question is what symptoms do you have when the springs let go? It seems i lost all torque but at about 2k rpm`s it was ok. This is a 1985 32` Wellcraft St tropez with V-drives SBC`s.

[@cannontaylor97]

Interesting! Where you able to resolve your issue? What was it?

[@Supanova70]

@@cannontaylor97 There was no stainless wire that goes through both locking set screws for the shaft that holds the coupling /shaft together. They loosened up I spun the keyway and the shaft.

[@marcustyrone5392]

Thanks so much

[@ChiliStyles]

Great explanation.

[@lee8652]

Great info thank you!