KA BLOOEY

[T-Roy]

After all the struggles getting my Challenger 1800 back on the water, I finally got it running - for about 3 hours. The motor that was giving me fits is fine (that wound up being a smashed and melted coolant line for the exhaust), however the port motor decided to relieve itself of the counter balance shaft. Had to idle back to the ramp on the starboard engine with a very disappointed 9 year old. What a way to end the summer.

I have no explanation as to why the shaft called it quits. No water ingestion, plenty of oil (both motors were smoking normally) and we weren't revving it to the moon. It let go after about 15 minutes of tubing at 5k rpms. It was pretty easy to diagnose after seeing the chunk of silver in the bilge that used to be the bearing housing. The only thing I can determine is that this is the same engine that wouldn't turn over earlier this year. After I pulled the starter, it was free, so I assumed the starter got itself in a bind and it started perfectly after that. Maybe a small shaving worked it's way from the starter ring into the counter balance?

Ordered the new motor today along with a replacement case for the core. This damn thing is going to be the end of me, yet. So, with the replacement of THIS engine, I will have switched out every major component on the boat, including the interior. The little bastard had better run for a long time after this.

 

[mikidymac]

Balancer and starter are not connected. The balancers typically go when water gets into the engine and the oil isn't changed and water burned out. Then it could have just been bad bearings and time.

 

[T-Roy]

I don’t see any evidence of water intrusion, so I’m chalking it up to a bad bearing. Sucks that it took out the case, too.

I’ve read all the debates about oiling the compartment, but I don’t think that was the case on this one. New motor is here, getting ready to switch all the components and put it back together. Hopefully, this one is the last motor I put in it.

 

[mikidymac]

Ouch, that bearing is sealed and not oiled so it was just a bad bearing.

That looks like a SBT rebuild that failed.

 

[T-Roy]

One year later....... We had a very successful weekend tubing and enjoying the boat. It developed a nasty habit of shutting itself off repeatedly, then working beautifully for a while. Then, shut itself off repeatedly, etc. Did a diagnostic on the DESS post and yep, the magnetic reed was making contact, sometimes. New one on the way.

What I found out when I changed out the motor in the post above was a clogged coolant line off the side off the case. It was jam packed full of sand about half way to the exhaust port. So, since both motors lost the counterbalance and both had issues with this cooling line, I think it’s proven to be an important one! My wife loves this little boat, so I’ll keep plugging away and fixing whatever it needs. Now, if I can only get her to love the my Formula the same....