Hi all,
First time posting here and just joined. This forum is a treasure trove of information so cool.
I am considering replacing my transmission at my Next haul out In Port Townsend this April. I have read a bunch of information on this site which is super helpful. I too, have this dreaded chatter in the drivetrain. It was present when I bought our boat two years ago, and it's always been on the back of my mind. I haven't really had any problems getting in and out of gear aside from once in a while, not being in forward because the lever hits the binnacle. I have found that a quick and firm push of the lever into forward gets it into Gear 99% of the time. I could probably do a little bit of adjustment on the cable or shifter arm But have not yet. My transmission oil is clear (red) as can be. Unfortunately, from what I have read on here, replacing the damper plate doesn't seem to really address the noise? I am a little torn between just living with it, or dropping the money to resolve it for piece of mind. We do a lot of cruising around the San Juan islands and north and plan on the inside passage in the next year or two and the thought of losing my transmission in some of those currents is a little scary. My engine has around 1900 hrs on it And I assume the transmission is original as it looks like it is.
It seems like there isn't really an advantage to going with the ZF 12 over the ZF 15 since dimensionally. They are about the same.
I see the ZF 15 listed on Catalina direct for about $2600. The damper plates seem to be fairly pricey at six or $700 for the aftermarket.
Has anyone recently priced shopped around For better pricing or is Catalina direct the way to do it?
anyone have suggestions on where to order if I plan on doing the transmission, damper plate, and a max prop?
cheers and TIA
Justin Brim
S/V Koan
Port Orchard, WA
2003 Catalina 36 MKII
M35B
Yes, lots of good info on the site. I have a few postings on the topic.
Bottom line- changing our damper plate did very little to eliminate noise. I'm a believer that most of the clatter originates from all the play between the spline and damper plate hub. We have about 1200 hours and no issues other than the rattle which is most notable at low RPM. My impression is if you change transmissions, you have to deal with engine height, prop shaft length, shift cable replacement etc. If your planning on keeping the boat a long, long, long time, I would go that route, but if not, change the fluid frequently and keep your eye out for an exact replacement that could be rebuilt. As long as the fluid is not dark and smelling like burning wire insulation, you are probably good to go.
My 2 cents.
Paul & Wendy Keyser
"First Light"
Rye NH
2005 C36 MKII #2257
Wing, M35B
I'm curious...did you replace your damper with the high deflection one? I got a quote from PYI (PYI had it listed as RD22AM4) and it was $360. I've read some positive results from people using it. Supposedly it can deflect up to 30 degrees while most dampers are in the 3-9 range.
I've shy'd away from the idea of replacing the trans now for two main reasons.
1.) the ZF15 costs nearly what the zf10 does now. ( the cost jumped almost 2k after CD inquired about lead time for me the other day. must have gotten pricing updates...
2.) I'm weary of clearance issues with a dripless etc.
I'm thinking I'll do the linkage adjustment, high deflection damper (also will allow me to look at the splines and add some marine grease), and keep changing the trans oil religiously to keep it going. Sounds like they start having signs of slipping before failing for most people...In the case it slips I can always motor home in reverse with the max prop and dive into a rebuild at the dock or shop myself.
Justin Brim
S/V Koan
Port Orchard, WA
2003 Catalina 36 MKII
M35B
One last thought. I would adjust the cable to get a solid engagement with the transmission forward/reverse gears. Partial engagement will lead to disk wear and debris in the fluid. There's an adjustment diagram somewhere in this site- I think it was a notice sent out by Catalina or ZF.
Try Googling Universal or Westerbeke parts. One site, called Toad marine parts (never heard of them), had plates listed for $700-$850+. I didn't spend enough time to note if they were the correct P/N. We purchased our damper plate from Discount Marine Source in 2015 for $477. It was listed as their P/N 44624. We have a Universal M35 B/C diesel and a ZF 10M transmission on our 2005 MKII
By the way-it's helpful to add to your signature your '36 model, year and engine info.
Paul & Wendy Keyser
"First Light"
Rye NH
2005 C36 MKII #2257
Wing, M35B
Good info as I'm dealing with this too. We are new to sailing but not boating and I have some chatter at low fwd RPMs and w a little speed it goes away. Also, sometimes she's slow to go into forward. I plan to check the linkage first as it seems that's a common issue. I have no way of knowing how long this has been going on. I have changed the fluid as it was very old and plan to change again soon and have an analysis done. The thought of losing the aux engine is worrisome.
"Nauti Seahorse"
2001 C36 MK ii. #2011
Justin-
I assumed our damper plate was an older metallic spring design and further assumed that the springs were a contributor to the noise/rattling issue. When I removed the transmission, I surprisingly discovered our boat came with "polymer" based damper plate. Thinking maybe it was worn out, I replaced it with another polymer based damper plate anyway. With no metallic springs in either, the low speed rattle persisted. Hence my conclusion the plate hub/shaft spine play was the noise source. I have no idea what the deflection rating was on the old or new plate.
Paul & Wendy Keyser
"First Light"
Rye NH
2005 C36 MKII #2257
Wing, M35B
Catalina Direct is a great resource for hard to find parts but often the most expensive choice. Once you identify a part it usually can be found for a better price.
In July 2024 I replaced the damper plate with an R&D 22B4 for $265.00 from Fisheries Supply, no doubt a bit more now.
The most difficult part of changing the plate was getting the transmission bolts loose, if you are planning to do the job start applying PB Blaster to the bolts asap.
A simple solution to the shifter handle hitting the binnacle guard is to flatten the handle a 1/2 inch or so in a vise. I squeezed it between two pieces of wood until it was fully engaged without hitting the guard.
Denis
Brazen Article #1925
2001 Catalina 36 MKII
I replaced the original transmission on my 2003 C36, along with the original damper plate, about four years ago with a ZF15. I chose the ZF15 because it is a bit more robust. I did not have to adjust the prop shaft, but I did have to raise the engine nearly to the top of the motor mounts’ adjustment range.
2003 Catalina 36