Catalina 350 International Association

Checking we can post in forums as we are having issues. Ken can you let me know if you see this?

Double check with picture attached, not of a damper.

No picture. Try again.

I'm Replacing the damper plate with a PYI. I have put considerable hours on the Sachs I replaced 4 years ago but now it seems it getting noisy especially with hot. Ben at PYI has informed me that there is a new number for the part - RD-22A-M4 (the AA was switched to AM). Has any one installed this one - is it quite?
Thanks
Larry
Kathleen Anne (for sale)

I have been in touch with PYI regarding an RD-22AM-4 damper plate.

Ben at PYI initially asked for the OD of the backing plate, number of bolts on flywheel fixing, diameter of these bolts and distance between holes on the flywheel fixing. Then I mentioned that several C350 owners have installed this plate with good results, so he said if its been done by others it should be good.
However he gave me the following diamensions of the proposed RD-22AM-4:
-OD of Backing plate 6.12 Inches
-No. of bolts on flywheel fixing: 5
-Dia of bolts on flywheel fixing: 0.25 Inches
-Distance between the holes: 5.593 Inches
Then he suggested i check if these measurements would work for me, just to be sure.

I'm a little confused why he asking this, maybe just a CYA thing. Its not something i can easily check so I'm asking for input from those of you who have done this upgrade. Should i just order one and get going on it, I do plan to have a mechanic do it along with some other work? (I did put in a new dripples shaft seal about 150 hours ago) Did the plate fit properly for you folks right out of the box?

Sand Dollar is #031 and has the standard Universal 35B/Hurth150, it has 1900 hours now and the vibration is getting worse.

thanks for any input you can offer.

Dear Kirk,

I can confirm that the RD-22AM-4 fits perfectly. My engine had more then 2200 hours and was making a lot of noise and vibration.
After replacing the damper plate last October ( I did this myself with the help of a friend using the article of Jerry Ross on the forum) it looks like I am having a new boot. The noise and vibration is totally gone. I should have replaced the damper plate years earlier.

Kind regards,
Hans v. d. Weijden
#254, Swan (Netherlands)

Hans

Thanks for the input. I printed out the article from Jerry Ross and that along with your experience had me order the plate today. It's 232.00 USD and in stock, shipping to me tomorrow.

Thanks again

ok.. Boat on the hard have flange off shaft (took 10 hours to get off) and shaft slid back. all 6 transmission bolts loose.

Can not get the Transmission to break away from the engine. Any tips?

I've tried everything I can think of and need to get it off so I can put the new damper plate in. No room for screwdriver. Tried prying off, no love. Used a board underneeth to help (jiggle loose) Nor sure what else to try.. HELP!

Rooster

rooster,
the transmission and rear bell housing is held on with bolts (remove completely) and aligned with two pin/studs. I can send you a pix of the parts as they came off.
I assume that you are talking about the universal engine with the Hurth transmission.
post your e-mail so I can send pix.

Leigh,

Thanks and yes the 35 and Hurth.

I did get it off today. Used a pry bar to get it started but could only get the paint cracked on the port side.

Ended up using a 2x2 about a yardstick long placed under the engine from the front (stairs) placed it against the starboard side transmission and gave a little tap and it finally came apart enough to get a screwdriver in.

Damper plate in and a little tranny recondition and will put it all back together. Hope for a quiet engine.

Anyone have updates on this?

If your referring to my project all went well and following all the information here worked just fine. Some of the engine rattle noise went away and that was a good thing.

Hardest part was getting the transmission coupler off the shaft. I saw a tool on Catalina Direct wonder if anybody has used that one.

Rooster

I am an owner of 2004 Catalina 350 hull number 272. I have intermediate level mechanical knowledge and can do mechanical work on cars (brakes, replace water pumps, starters, adjust valves etc) but by no means a master mechanic. I followed the directions for the damper replacement. Replacement was successful. Thanks to all for the tips and particularly detailed method previously posted. A few notes from my experience.

1) it took 2 days of intermittent work. Between taking breaks and going to store to buy new hardware instead of using old hardware
2) the first problem issue was breaking transmission loose from engine after removing bolts. It took a hefty pry bar and hammering a screw driver in gap to break loose. Stick with it and it does come loose. Scariest issue was removing hex cap screws for damper plate. As a previous poster noted some joker used red locktite on his and someone did on mine as well. Use blue! I barely got one cap screw out after coming very close to being stripped. But I got it loose after using heat.
3) a heat torch worked well to remove cap screws or bolts that didn’t want to come loose. I only had one or two that needed additional convincing with the torch. Don’t fear the torch!
4) although I had no record of my plate being replaced previously with my 2600 hrs, the old plate appeared to be in good shape, at least prior to the heat torch.
5) one poster suggested cutting heads off bolts to use as a guide to put transmission back in. I tried that and decided it was easier to just muscle it in with a friend helping to give additional support with a rope tied around the transmission
6) I followed the suggestion to wallow out a hole in a board under the lift bolts when jacking up engine. It kept them from slipping. I used lift bolts on both sides for safety.
7) getting engine back on mounts afterward takes some work to align engine over mounts while lowering. Used crow bar again.

Al in all follow the guide in the previous posts were fantastic! I would never have tackled the job without them. I can only imagine how much a mechanic charges these days for this kind of work. I’m so glad I did it myself.

Afterward I found the engine wasn’t much quieter but as I said my old damper plate looked very good. At least I know it’s changed.

Thanks again to all for the previous posts.

Ps I did quiet my engine some by just increasing idle speed. That helped a lot and was easy adjustment on linkage at front of engine.