"Grant" wrote in message
...
Dan,

You saying the rivets let go and flex plate components start to come
apart? Could be it. You suppose there is a way to check that before I lift
the engine out or remove the leg again? The noise is definately inside the
boat. Inside the transom housing or bell housing that is. Maybe I should
swing the prop and see if the flywheel wants to move, or not.

Cam

"Danlw" wrote in message
. ..

"Grant" wrote in message
...
Stern drive boats do indeed have a flexible coupling between the engine
flywheel and the intermediate shaft which attaches to the universal
joints.
In the BMW it is a flexplate with a spline. The Mercruisers have a
rubber coupling.

Cam


And, I have seen them with slots instead of holes due to wear. Thing is,
if you can hear it in the boat, that is usually where the problem is,
though can be upper gear case
as well.

Dan

Well, you will have to pull the motor to get at it. Now, the
"flex plate" on a boat is different than the auto version. Most of the time
it gets worn due to a lack of proper alignment, particularly on the Mercs.
I would guess that would be true for the others as well, though I have less
experience with them. Yes the rivets in the plate itself can wear, as well
as the bolts that fasten it to the flywheel. Pulling the engine isn't to
bad--I think it is faster to unbolt the mounts from the stringer and leave
them on the engine rather than the other way. Gives you a good starting
place to align when re-installing.

Hope you get it fixed OK! Dan