Ciao Gianni,

I do not know if this was the correct thing to do...BUT...I used a form of acid that was some solution of Hydrochloric acid on BeBe's aft tank valve. I poured it in the deck pump-out opening, let it sit for about 15-20 seconds, then worked the valve handle back and forth. I repeated twice, then flushed with baking soda and water solution to neutralize the acid. I believe once you get it working freely you may be able to pump some lithium grease into the valve to lubricate it.

If your tank is full, you will have to have it pumped out before you try above.

Hope this helps.

Bill
BeBe, SM2k, #387
Currently Fethiye, Turkey

--- In amelyachtowners@..., "Giovanni Testa" <gtesta23@...> wrote:

Hi to all, I remember that some used to pour acid into the tank to dissolve the organic obstruction. But I don't remeber which, from which hole and how to work. Please, any suggestion may help.
All the best
Giovanni TESTA SM 428
Port Vila
Vanuatu

Hi to all, I remember that some used to pour acid into the tank to dissolve the organic obstruction. But I don't remeber which, from which hole and how to work. Please, any suggestion may help.
All the best
Giovanni TESTA SM 428
Port Vila
Vanuatu

Hi we simply changed to a 24 v on demand pump at 40psi from Shorflow problem solved. Got rid of the pesky tank too.

Sent from my iPad
Regards
Capt Richard Piller

On Jul 30, 2013, at 2:33, Ian Shepherd <sv_freespirit@...> wrote:

I have an A.M.F.A A88 fresh water pump with the bronze impeller. The
pump struggles to reach cut off pressure after an overnight discharge of
the batteries down to around 24.0 V. The Square D pressure switch was
replaced about a year ago and adjustment cannot cure the problem. A
couple of times now I have forgotten to trip the pump CB last thing at
night leading to a massive discharge of the batteries after the pump
failed to reach cut off pressure.

Looking at the impeller there does not seem much that can wear, but
maybe changing it will result in more pressure? Has anyone replaced this
impeller with a noticeable improvement please?

Ian Shepherd SM2000 #414 Crusader Built Jul 2003 Thassos Greece

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have an A.M.F.A A88 fresh water pump with the bronze impeller. The
pump struggles to reach cut off pressure after an overnight discharge of
the batteries down to around 24.0 V. The Square D pressure switch was
replaced about a year ago and adjustment cannot cure the problem. A
couple of times now I have forgotten to trip the pump CB last thing at
night leading to a massive discharge of the batteries after the pump
failed to reach cut off pressure.

Looking at the impeller there does not seem much that can wear, but
maybe changing it will result in more pressure? Has anyone replaced this
impeller with a noticeable improvement please?

Ian Shepherd SM2000 #414 Crusader Built Jul 2003 Thassos Greece

I have an A.M.F.A A88 fresh water pump with the bronze impeller. The
pump struggles to reach cut off pressure after an overnight discharge of
the batteries down to around 24.0 V. The Square D pressure switch was
replaced about a year ago and adjustment cannot cure the problem. A
couple of times now I have forgotten to trip the pump CB last thing at
night leading to a massive discharge of the batteries after the pump
failed to reach cut off pressure.

Looking at the impeller there does not seem much that can wear, but
maybe changing it will result in more pressure? Has anyone replaced this
impeller with a noticeable improvement please?

Ian Shepherd SM2000 #414 Crusader Built Jul 2003 Thassos Greece

To: amelyachtowners@...
From: sv_freespirit@...
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 06:33:12 +0000
Subject: [Amel] Fresh Water Pump

I have an A.M.F.A A88 fresh water pump with the bronze impeller. The
pump struggles to reach cut off pressure after an overnight discharge of
the batteries down to around 24.0 V. The Square D pressure switch was
replaced about a year ago and adjustment cannot cure the problem. A
couple of times now I have forgotten to trip the pump CB last thing at
night leading to a massive discharge of the batteries after the pump
failed to reach cut off pressure.

Looking at the impeller there does not seem much that can wear, but
maybe changing it will result in more pressure? Has anyone replaced this
impeller with a noticeable improvement please?

Ian Shepherd SM2000 #414 Crusader Built Jul 2003 Thassos Greece


------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

Last winter I saw a liveabords wife cleaning the hull of a 50ft yacht
in the marina. She was wearing a wet suit and was in the water for at
least an hour coming up occasionally to report progress. She was using
a tiny mains powered compressor made by Nardi, an Italian company
specialising in scuba type compressors. It was 45x24x28cms,weighed
14.5kgs and seems ideal for that use. The company say that it must not
be used in depths of over 50 feet. They said the cost was about €650.
More details from infoatnardicompressori.com and the model was the Esprit.

Anne and John, Bali Hai, SM2K 319, Licata, Sicily

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Colin,
Same gearbox and ratios part no 3315002011, the cooler comes from Bowman who you will find on line, but should be supplied easily from a gearbox agent.
My box was supplied by Total Yacht Works Mazatlan Mexico, Bob Buuchanan, totalyachtworks@... it took six weeks to get it from Fort Lauderdale Florida to Mexico. It was a long time at anchor.
The quote was two weeks.
Best regards,
Trevor

--- In amelyachtowners@..., Colin Streeter <colin.d.streeter@...> wrote:

Hi Trevor

I am trying to source a new gearbox today and would greatly appreciate it
is you could let me know who supplied this and the other parts to you. We
got in touch with Maud at Amel yesterday with the same question, as well as
ZF in Australia and are waiting for responses however it may be quicker and
certainly cheaper to go through your supplier if they freight it
internationally. Were you able to find the exact same gearbox? My version
was the ZF Hurth Marine Arco Italy HBW 250H 2.8R with ratios A 2.8 & B 2.8.
I have the Yanmar 75HP 4JH3-TE motor not the 100HP.

Kind regards
Colin Streeter
Island Pearl II - sm2k #332

can't


On Fri, Jul 26, 2013 at 3:13 AM, seafeverofcuan <seafeverofcuan@...>wrote:

**


Colin,
The rust is normal and of little consequence. The hydraulic pump inside
the gearbox creates the pressure to open the brake pads when the engine is
running. Therefore if you have no hydraulic pressure the brake pads will
remain closed and firmly attached to the brake disk. Both brake pads should
be closed against the disk when the engine is stopped or as now when you
have no pressure if they are wearing unevenly
it is because the round cylinder that you can see that controls the pads
is out of alignment and can easily be straightened by packing a piece of
rubber between the cylinder and the angle iron frame it is mounted on.
If your pads are worn unevenly now is a good time to take them to a brake
shop and they will reline the pads. Be careful when removing them as there
is a little spring which will drop out.
I checked my Paypal account $ 3355.30 including a clutch plate which is
around $100 and hoses , fittings etc.
When removing the gearbox it would be a good idea to replace the rubber
bushes in the Vetus coupler and you will probably need a puller to get the
flange off the drive shaft. In my case I made one out of a scrap piece of
12mm steel plate and put a socket between the shaft and the plate and
tightened it up and eventually the flange surrendered.
Regards,
Trevor

--- In amelyachtowners@..., Colin Streeter <colin.d.streeter@>
wrote:

Hi All

Just re-read Bill's comment and had another look at the Autoprop shaft
brake a short while ago. Interestingly when the engine is off the brake
caliper on the one side only, (ie. closest to the engine) remains presses
against the flywheel disc. Is this normal? When should the brake calipers
be presses against the wheel and when should they be pulled away from it?
Perhaps this was causing the problem however I am not sure how it could

do

so other than straining (& hence overheating) the gearbox if it had
remained clamped on the flywheel disc? Any experiences/comments about

this

would be greatly valued?

Also looking at the shaft brake system I am getting slight surface
rust/dust on it. Is there a good product I should be using to clean and
keep it rust free?

Fair winds

Colin Streeter
Island Pearl II - sm2k # 332



On Thu, Jul 25, 2013 at 2:38 PM, Colin Streeter
<colin.d.streeter@>wrote:

Dear Joel, Bill, Trevor, Kent and All

Thank you all once again for the swift assistance and incredibly

helpful

advice at such a critical time for us all on board. This group is

simply

amazing and a huge comfort.

Based on the fact that we have a 3 week wait for a lift onto the hard
stand and for mechanical assistance, and on reading earlier postings we
decided to engage FWD gear and run slowly into our marina berth without
taking it out of gear at all (since we previously found it would not
re-engage gear once the gearbox had warmed up). Thankfully the gears

held

for the 15min slow run in and with the aid of the bow thruster and wind
direction we were able to dock safely without using reverse gear and

so she

is safely home.

In terms of all your advice I am now pretty sure we have the following

two

problems:

1) I think* Joel* is absolutely spot on with the tip that the shaft

bearings/seals have possibly failed and that sea water has recently got
into the drive and that this had pushed up through the oil filler cap.

I

will follow Joel's instructions precisely as well as an earlier

posting by

Gary Silver and others about how best to remove and replace the

bearings.

We will flush it with benzine and use a white filter cloth to check

that

nothing other than oil comes out. I am pretty sure this will be fine
afterwards as this is a new problem as of yesterday only and we have

hardly

motored at all in the past 6 months.

2) I feel *Trevor's* advice is exactly the problem with the ZF Hurth

HSW

250H gearbox. We checked the oil as Trevor suggested and the colour is
milky brown plus the level when cold is well above the high marker when
measured. Furthermore when cold the gears engage, and when

warm.....nothing

other than the noise of trying to engage in FWD or Reverse. Clearly the
gasket has failed and cooling water has recently entered the gear oil
chamber.

Our plan of action is to firstly have the gearbox removed and hopefully
reconditioned by ZF here in Australia, then once re-fitted drive her

around

to the hardstand crane to lift out and replace the shaft bearings.
Fortunately the gear box issue is new as I checked the gearbox oil

about 1

month ago and it was the same colour red ATF oil as we put in at last
service. Also I am hopeful of no damage to the shaft/Amel Drive since

we

have hardly used the engine as we always motor for only about 5 mins

only

before setting sail here in Brisbane.

Thanks again to all for the incredible assistance.

Kind regards

Colin Streeter
Island Pearl II - SM2K #322



On Thu, Jul 25, 2013 at 5:35 AM, seafeverofcuan <seafeverofcuan@

...>wrote:

**

Hi Colin,
Have you checked the ATF in your gear box? If so what colour is it?

You

need to take the level when the yellow dipstick is unscrewed and

gently

resting on the gearbox casing.
If you are having gear selection problems due to not enough fluid ,or

sea

water ingress into the gearbox due to the ATF cooler failing, you

will be

able to engage gear when the gearbox is cool but you will hear the wet
clutches make a noise similar to something caught around the prop

when the

gearbox is too hot. You will get propulsion for a while then nothing

except

revs.
Another wild guess have you checked to ensure that the bolts on the

Vetus

coupler are intact?
I hope this will be of some help.
Good luck.
Trevor
Seafever
Sm 425
Mexico


--- In amelyachtowners@..., Kent Robertson <karkauai@>
wrote:

Hi Colin.
I think I'm the only other Amel owner to have a failure between the

transmission and the CDrive. The drive shaft between the transmission

and

the first 90 degree gear broke where it stepped down in size. I had a
machine shop in Puerto Rico repair the shaft for a fraction of what

new

parts from Amel would cost. There are some pics on the photos section

under

Kristy SM243 folder and if you search messages for "broken C Drive"

you'll

find a lengthy thread about it.

Please feel free to contact me directly if you have other questions?
Kent
SM 243 KRISTY
Brunswick GA USA

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 24, 2013, at 9:50 AM, Colin Streeter <colin.d.streeter@>

wrote:

Hi Joel

Thank you for this excellent advice which makes perfect sense to

me.

I will follow your suggestions here.

In terms of the 2nd problem I feel it is your latter version but

cannot be sure as could not dive in this water to check on the prop
rotation. The auto prop is in good condition so I feel it was the

shaft not

turning..

Lastly do I need to order specialist prop shaft bearings and seals

from Amel or are these generic products that I could purchase from a

local

bearings dealer? Would greatly appreciate the specs &/ or part

numbers /

sizes for these.

Best regards
Colin

Sent from my iPhone

On 24/07/2013, at 9:58 PM, "Joel F Potter" <jfpottercys@> wrote:

Hello Colin.

It would appear that you have at least two problems. Your prop

shaft seals

have failed and saltwater has entered the drive system. The

saltwater has

emulsified the oil inside and has increased the volume of fluid

in

the drive

system. As your reservoir had a small defect that allowed this

increasing

fluid volume to escape, that's where the mess came out. Once you

resealed

the reservoir, the emulsified mess is now exiting where it came

in;

out

through the shaft seals. Be sure to flush the Amel drive system

with plenty

of kerosene and check what comes out for metal particles by

directing the

exit flow through white cloth that would filter out any solids

before you

replace the shaft seals and refill the unit with oil.

Not sure about your second problem and some clarification is

needed, please.

Are you saying the output shaft from the reduction drive/reverse

gear would

turn but the prop would not 'engage'/move the boat in reverse?

Or