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Happy Holidays everyone,

I thought that I was nearing the end of my diesel reposer project. Today's goal was to get the first motor running now that its actually in the boat. After a little priming and fiddling she started right up (cummins 4bt) but when I put the transmission in gear for the first time, nothing! Arggggggggggh! It spins freely by hand and if you rev the motor high, the shaft just barely creeps.

Ok, here's the deal. These are IRM 220A, they were attached to the motors when I bought them, previous owner could never get the motors running (turned out the injection pump was frozen). I drained the fluid, nothing really notable, and filled it with just short of 1 gal of Shell Rotella 30 weight. I even pulled the filter screen, looks fine. I was shifting the tranny by hand at the tranny.

I understand the basic principle of how these operate, but am I missing some sort of magical bleeding ritual?

Any suggestions?

Troy,

I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like maybe a pressure plate problem. Since you haven't had the transmission off of the engine, it might be time to seperate them and inspect everything. Bad springs, plate frozen to flywheel, etc...

Pat, I have had the granny's off the motors and did a rebuild on the motors, so the flex plate and springs are good. My guess is a pressure issue. I did not know if some sort of valve might be stuck, since these have been sitting for many years. I'm hoping to avoid pulling everything back out

Prob an easy fix.

did you crack a cooler hose to see if you have oil flow?


From there make sure the shift arm and spool valve shaft are turning together and the shift arm is not slipping.

pretty simple system, engine drives pump when the spool valve(shift arm) is moved each direction is directs the fluid to squeeze clutch plates together.

Better than average chance the problem may lie in the spool valve as both directions don't work I'm taking for granted. Unless the pump is air locked which does happen if it sat for a while. There are balls and springs in the flow path like any hydraulic system and they could be rusted or corroded.

Bruce thanks for the insight. I will crack the lines to see if I have flow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR...Here is an update. As Bruce recommended I cracked the oil cooler hose and no fluid. So I take the four bolts out of the back of the oil pump and the shaft on the pump is sheared....WTF!

The pump turns freely, so I take the oil pump support housing off and the pump coupling is trashed.

The interesting thing is that there the original bolts where not in the oil pump support housing nor the oil pump, so someone before me has been inside.

I'm not sure if I want to find a donor IRM 220A, a running takeout IRM 220A or upgrade to a running ZF 220 A.

Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations????

Troy,
I saw an ad in Boats & Harbors under gears for sale. A pair of running take outs ZF 220A 1:5:1 gear ratio. Buy one or the pair $950 each. Adapter plates $100.00. Located in Rhode Island 401-744-6577. Good luck,
Pete Fallon

I'm in RI. Let me know if I can be of help...
Stephan

Here's an update, I pulled the pump off the second transmission and put it on the first and voila, great pressure and the tranny seem to work fine. I found a used pump from a place in Washington and hopefully next weekend I'll have two trannys that work.

Thanks everyone!!!!

Sounds great!