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Author Topic:   Flo Torq III Problems

howlingdogsteve posted 07-03-2010 09:24 PM ET (US)
Hi Guys. I finally got around to test ride my installation of a Mercury FLO-TORQ III propeller hub on a Mercury VENGEANCE propeller on a Boston Whaler 170 Montauk with 90-HP Mercury FOURSTROKE EFI. [The change to a FLO-TORQ III hub] definately helped [reduce] the shift KLUNK as well as smoothing the idle a bit. However, while trying to get the boat on plane, I noticed two problems.
First, I was running at about 4,000-RPM and it seemed I was getting very little torque and no umph.
Second, the propeller seemed to be pulsating, shaking and struggling, almost as if I was towing another boat. The conditions were somewhat poor, riding into a headwind and chop. I never experienced any pulsating before, so I turned around and headed home at about 2,000-RPM. The propeller felt smooth at slow speed.
At dock the propeller felt snug and looked fine, so I'm baffled. I took the lower unit off for the first time a month or so ago to replace the water pump. Could I have messed something up in there? I'm very concerned about running the boat like this. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance--Steve
jimh posted 07-04-2010 08:39 AM ET (US)
To test if the installation of the FLO-TORQ III propeller hub is the cause of the unusual behavior of the boat and engine as you describe, I suggest you perform the following procedure:
--remove the FLO-TORQ III hub
--re-install the original FLO-TORQ II hub
--re-test the boat
If the unusual boat handling symptoms disappear, their cause was likely in the new hub. If they persist, the cause may be related to the other changes you recently made.
howlingdogsteve posted 07-04-2010 09:47 AM ET (US)
Anything to look for while the Flo Torq III is still installed?
Thanks
Steve
Tom W Clark posted 07-04-2010 01:03 PM ET (US)
There is nothing about the Flo-Torq III hub that can influence your boat's performance as you describe.
What you describe is ventilation and the shuddering it can sometimes cause, particularly while climbing on plane.
howlingdogsteve posted 07-06-2010 09:19 PM ET (US)
Thanks go out to Jim and Tom !!
Thinking about your comments Tom, we took the boat out for a sunset cruise tonight. Water and wind conditions were flat and calm. The Montauk performed like a champ. Absolutely smooth with lots of pickup.
Cruising at about 3500 RPMs running right around 18 Knots according to the GPS. Does that sound reasonable?
My wife commented about how "the boat feels smoother" than it did last summer. I noticed less clunk when shifting. So far I'm liking this Flo Torq III.
davej14 posted 07-07-2010 09:04 AM ET (US)
The Flo-Torq III hub completely eliminated prop rattle on my SS Vengeance prop. With the Flo-Torq II hub it was very annoying. After two seasons I couldn't be happier.

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Author	Topic: Flo Torq III Problems
howlingdogsteve	posted 07-03-2010 09:24 PM ET (US) Hi Guys. I finally got around to test ride my installation of a Mercury FLO-TORQ III propeller hub on a Mercury VENGEANCE propeller on a Boston Whaler 170 Montauk with 90-HP Mercury FOURSTROKE EFI. [The change to a FLO-TORQ III hub] definately helped [reduce] the shift KLUNK as well as smoothing the idle a bit. However, while trying to get the boat on plane, I noticed two problems. First, I was running at about 4,000-RPM and it seemed I was getting very little torque and no umph. Second, the propeller seemed to be pulsating, shaking and struggling, almost as if I was towing another boat. The conditions were somewhat poor, riding into a headwind and chop. I never experienced any pulsating before, so I turned around and headed home at about 2,000-RPM. The propeller felt smooth at slow speed. At dock the propeller felt snug and looked fine, so I'm baffled. I took the lower unit off for the first time a month or so ago to replace the water pump. Could I have messed something up in there? I'm very concerned about running the boat like this. Any ideas? Thanks in advance--Steve
jimh	posted 07-04-2010 08:39 AM ET (US) To test if the installation of the FLO-TORQ III propeller hub is the cause of the unusual behavior of the boat and engine as you describe, I suggest you perform the following procedure: --remove the FLO-TORQ III hub --re-install the original FLO-TORQ II hub --re-test the boat If the unusual boat handling symptoms disappear, their cause was likely in the new hub. If they persist, the cause may be related to the other changes you recently made.
howlingdogsteve	posted 07-04-2010 09:47 AM ET (US) Anything to look for while the Flo Torq III is still installed? Thanks Steve
Tom W Clark	posted 07-04-2010 01:03 PM ET (US) There is nothing about the Flo-Torq III hub that can influence your boat's performance as you describe. What you describe is ventilation and the shuddering it can sometimes cause, particularly while climbing on plane.
howlingdogsteve	posted 07-06-2010 09:19 PM ET (US) Thanks go out to Jim and Tom !! Thinking about your comments Tom, we took the boat out for a sunset cruise tonight. Water and wind conditions were flat and calm. The Montauk performed like a champ. Absolutely smooth with lots of pickup. Cruising at about 3500 RPMs running right around 18 Knots according to the GPS. Does that sound reasonable? My wife commented about how "the boat feels smoother" than it did last summer. I noticed less clunk when shifting. So far I'm liking this Flo Torq III.
davej14	posted 07-07-2010 09:04 AM ET (US) The Flo-Torq III hub completely eliminated prop rattle on my SS Vengeance prop. With the Flo-Torq II hub it was very annoying. After two seasons I couldn't be happier.