Won't plane, Prop spins out on stratos 201 pro

[Dan_the_fisher]

I have a 1993 stratos 201 pro xl with a 200 evinrude. it takes for ever for it to plane out it acts like it can't get enough power to plane out. Then when it finally planes out the prop acts like it wants to spin out, and when you trim it up it starts to spin a lot until it finally comes out of plane. I can play with the trim and still get it up to 45mph with the trim almost all the way down. The lower unit was new on the boat when I got it, and the engine has just been rebuilt. At first the jackplate was way to low, then I adjusted it up to the center of the prop being 3" below the bottom of the boat with the prop and the boat being centered. I'm at a loss for what to do next. 

[WRB]

Sounds like you may have spun the prop hubb and the rubber clutch bushing is slipping.

The engine height is set with the engine cavitation plate parallel or flat to the hull bottom surface using a straight edge at 3 1/2" to the prop shaft center line.

Trim the engine all the way down to get on a plane, then trim the engine up to raise the boat bow up and watch your rpm's, 5800 with about 3/4 up trim should be maximum.

Tom

[Dan_the_fisher]

So the cavitation plate and the bottom of the boat need to be Parralel, and the center of the prop needs to be 3.5" below the bottom of the hull correct? And I thought that's what it could be on the top speed, but it doesn't act like it is slipping when it is trying to plain out so that had me confused. What could cause the slow plane? 

[WRB]

15 minutes ago, Dan_the_fisher said:

So the cavitation plate and the bottom of the boat need to be Parralel, and the center of the prop needs to be 3.5" below the bottom of the hull correct? And I thought that's what it could be on the top speed, but it doesn't act like it is slipping when it is trying to plain out so that had me confused. What could cause the slow plane? 

That is how you set up the engine height with or without a jack plate, it's your standard set up. You lower the trim using your trim button, the cavitation plate and prop shaft point downwards about 10 degrees, this pushes the boat bow down. When you are on a plane, then you trim the engine trim bottom up until the boat bow starts to raise up so you are pushing less water, the boat speed increases until it hits it's max. Every boat is different, yours should be somewhere between 65+ mph @ 5800 rpm.

Prop cavitation occurs when air displaces water. Prop slippage occurs when rpm's increase and speed doesn't.

the boat not getting onto a plane could be too much weight at the stern, livewells full, gas full and improper engine trim angle ( not trimmed all the way down).

Tom

[Dan_the_fisher]

The boat was trimmed as far down as it could go, we had one tank of gas full and the other empty. It was normal conditions as far as weight on a boat. And it took like 20 sec to plane out. I'm a big guy (260lb) and I sit on the front deck and it still took 10 sec. I thought something may have been out of adjustment that is cause both problems. Honestly I don't know the way to diagnose between ventilation, cavitation, and slippage, the best way i can describe it is that I am going down the lake I trim up and then the engine revved like what would happen if you pushed the clutch in on a manual truck while driving it.i tried googling my problem and I see that it could be multiple things, and I don't know how to narrow it down.

[WRB]

Start from the beginning;

1. With the boat on the trailer trim the engine so the cavitation plate is parallel or even with the boats rear flat center planning pad, use a straight edge.

2. Take the prop off and using a straight edge measure the distance from the boats flat center rear planning surface to the centerline of the prop shaft: it should be 3.5", not less of more than 3.75".

3. When you trim the engine down the lower unit should tuck in towards the hull, the cavitation plate and prop shaft is angled down about 10 or more degrees. Look at your trim gage and see if it is working and shows trimmed down.

4. Trim the engine up until the prop shaft is angles up about 10 degrees, look at the trim gage, it should be near the top of the trim up mark. if the gage doesn't work p, replace it.

Put the prop back on.

5. Trim the engine all the way up to 45 degrees to install your transom savor device.

Trim the motor all the way down to get on a plane, up no more than 10 degrees when running. Look back at your wake, no more than a 2' roaster tail at full speed. If you see a 4' to 6' roaster tail at speed, engine is trimmed too high, bring it down.

4 blade prop will help get the boat planning faster, however you loose a few mph top end speed.

Tom

 

 

[Ski213]

Sounds like it could be the hub as WRB suggested. What's the prop pitch and do you know what rpms  you're turning at 45?  What rpms when it falls off plane?  

[Dan_the_fisher]

24 raker prop on it now, and about 4K at 45mph and it will fly wide open when it falls off plane. 

[Ski213]

Can you kinda describe your process to get to 45?  Does it fall off on its own or when you try to trim up a little to gain speed?

Also do you have a water pressure gauge?  Does it change when the engine starts running away?  

[Dan_the_fisher]

The process to get it up to 45 was get max speed with the trim all the way down then bump up the trim a hair at a time until I got it that high, it may have went a little more but it kept spinning out so that's as far as I ever pushed it, and i dont know about the water pressure at that time I was to busy throttle down and trying not to be overrun by my wake. 

[Ski213]

Alright. One thing might be to put some kind of match mark on the prop and hub. Run it and after it does its thing check the marks to see if they're still aligned. If they're not then you know you're getting some slippage in the hub. If they stay aligned then you're looking at something else. That's where I'd start if it were me. 

[Ski213]

I guess another thing would be to take real close look at the prop itself. I don't know that a blade out of whack would create your problem or not but I've got it on good authority that it not being just right can make a big difference. 

[Dan_the_fisher]

48 minutes ago, Ski213 said:

I guess another thing would be to take real close look at the prop itself. I don't know that a blade out of whack would create your problem or not but I've got it on good authority that it not being just right can make a big difference. 

I planed on marking it next trip. I just find it odd that it won't plane, and spins out I figured they where both directly related to each other. But I very well could be wrong 

[WRB]

Go to a dealer and borrowing a test prop, problem solved if you spun a hub.

If borrowing a prop is a problem, paint a strip inside the hub.

You still need to set the engine correctly to optimize performance, your problem sounds like prop slippage to me.

Tom

 

[Ski213]

28 minutes ago, Dan_the_fisher said:

I planed on marking it next trip. I just find it odd that it won't plane, and spins out I figured they where both directly related to each other. But I very well could be wrong 

I think you're seeing a mechanical failure be it hub or whatever. i would think that hub or lu slippage would show at both hole shot and when you're reaching rpms where you're throwing down some hp while trying to lift on to the pad. Out of the hole the prop is under pressure to get the lead sled moving. As you start reaching peak hp and lift the bow it's under a great deal of pressure again. 

Tom suggested trying another prop. If you have one available that would be a good way to go. Even if it's not the right pitch for your setup. 

[Dan_the_fisher]

I have a omc four blade prop for the boat, but I know the hub is spun on it. I have to get a new one on it. I was gonna use it as a spare prop 

[Way2slow]

I don't know how you measured your prop height when you set it, but it sure sounds like you either have it too high, you have spun the hub, or rolled an edge on the prop.   I can't remember if a 200 on a 201 will run a 24" or if it takes a 22" but either way, something is off.   A spun hub will usually not get to full speed, you can nurse them up to about half throttle or so but at some point the hub reaches the max torque it can handle and starts slipping at that point.  

[Dan_the_fisher]

Well when we first took the boat out it was way to low actually like 5", then we lowered it down to what we thought was right but actually was 4"(when we got 45mph)now we have it set to 3 1/2" on the dot. What I can see is this is the right prop, I may have the prop sent off to have it checked to see if that is the culprit. The way I measured prop height the last time was level the bottom of the boat, level the cavitation plate. Then I put a straight edge on the ground and leveled it. Then I measure from the bottom of the boat to the straight edge, then from the center of the prop nut threads. That's how I got my 3 1/2"

[Way2slow]

One word of caution, when you read what someone else is doing, don't take that as gospel it's what you need to do.  "IF" everything is identical, prop, year make and model of boat, engine etc, that could be a good starting point, but if they are use a Raker and you are using a Renegade, things are not the same.  Now, with that age of boat, and you having a four blade, it could very well be a Shooter prop, and you CAN NOT run those has high as the three or four blade, high rake props.  If it's a four blade Shooter, which has more of a Mickey Mouse ear shaped blade, you might want to drop it down to about 5" and try it.

Matter of fact, no matter what prop you have, drop it down to about 5" and try it.  It's it still spins up "like you pushed the clutch in" then the prop is bad/wrong for the boat. 

Also, not knocking your weight but for the size you say you are, and then add another person of average size you probably should be running no more than a 22" pitch prop.

Since you say that motor was recently rebuilt, I would do a compression test on it also.  Make sure all six cylinders are within 5%.  Low compression will kill hole shot.   

[Dan_the_fisher]

With the raker 24 which is a three blade prop not a four, it was set low when we got it around the 5" zone and it spun out just as bad. We checked compression and plugs today and everything is as it should be still 

[Way2slow]

I was under the impression it was a four blade. 

If it still messes up 5" down, that prop needs to go to the shop.  I would also try finding a 22" Raker you can try.  It's possible you might end up spinning it a little over 6,000 at WOT, but I think the rev limiter on that ignition module is around 6,500.  I know the factory recommended max is 6,000 rpm but not going to hurt that motor if you spin it a little over the 6,000 and it will greatly help your hole shot.   

[Dan_the_fisher]

Reopening this, still having the same problems. Went with two different props now, both with new hubs. Boat still won't plane out for nothing, still spins out on the 4 blade prop. Have tried a million different jackplate heights as well. Anyone have any other ideas?

[Tim Kelly]

You say the lower unit was new when you got the boat, I suppose it's possible that the LU might be slipping, and that's where you're gaining revs not speed? If you've tried everything else it might be worth dropping the LU and examining it.

[Dan_the_fisher]

12 hours ago, Tim Kelly said:

You say the lower unit was new when you got the boat, I suppose it's possible that the LU might be slipping, and that's where you're gaining revs not speed? If you've tried everything else it might be worth dropping the LU and examining it.

Sorry didn't give you a good update, I forgot I didn't mention earlier that it will run fine when you get the 3 blade prop to plane out but it will spin out with the 4 blade prop when it planes. I feel like it isn't the prop since it does simalr with both of them trying to plane out. It takes forever to plan out, literally over a minute. I feel like there is something else I'm missing besides the jackplate/prop

[Glenn]

If you've done the following:

• Tried different, new props (to rule out spun hubs)
• Tried different engine heights
• Verified trim gauge is working and accurate
• Verified trim is working the full range
• Verified there is no water in the power trim hydraulics (this would cause the motor to lose trim functionality).

Then take it to a mechanic to

• Check the power trim unit. It may need replacing.
• Tear apart the lower unit.  Something wasn't done right during the rebuild.