|
| Author |
Message |
    
kevin rea
| | Posted on Monday, December 31, 2001 - 02:28 am: | 
|
hello,
This maybe a bit of an unusual request...but...
I was wondering if someone out there would have knowledge of the repair/maintenance of a higgins transmission ?
i have one in my 1941 fishing boat attached to a detroit diesel 671. the engine and higgins transmission are from the same era, they were put in the boat when it was built.
the transmission has been slipping lately, due to non use.. i let it sit about 1 year total...
When I tried to take her out of the dock for the first time in about a year today, the transmission did not engage in forward or reverse, but then after about 25 minutes of shifting it did.
but, i can tell it is slipping and not fully engaging.
I was thinking that there might be some clutches or bands to adjust..
I did actually run it about 6 months ago, and it was strong and fine...just sitting too long without running I guess.
Also, what weight and type of fluid should I be using in it ?
I was told by a couple of other skippers to just use 40 weight motor oil ...
any ideas where I can find help with this transmission ?
thanks for your time,
kevin rea |
kevin
| | Posted on Monday, December 31, 2001 - 09:11 am: |
|
Here are some pictures:
 |
miro
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2002 - 09:49 am: |
|
In genereal, marine transmissions of thay era use a metal to metal clutch and thus need oil to function when it is in neutral. A 40 weight ol shold be OK - that is the heaviest that I would use. In many configurations, the crankcase oil and the oil for the tranmission are shared.
As for adjusting the clutch, there usually is a small access panel on the top of the transmission. Take off the panel and you'll see a bolt that usually has a locknut on it. Moving the shift lever back and forth will show what is going on. Essentially the adjustment is a 1/4 to 1/2 turn of the bolt, hardly ever needs more.
BUT before you do any of this, make sure that the shifting mechanisms that move the lever are moving freely. I've seen lots of shift rods and pivot arms almost rusted solid so that they don't move. Folks blame the ttransmission, but the problem is simpler and outside. If the control rods or pivots do not operate freely then you cannot actially engage the FWD or REV properly and the transmission slips.
I can send you some pictures of the inside of a transmssion - but the file size exceeds Andrew's limit so I can't post it here ( plus I forgot the procedure to post the pic, in any case - old age, I reckon)
miro |
kevin rea
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2002 - 03:15 pm: |
|
Hi Miro,
thank you very much for the information on older transmissions. |
Scurvy
| | Posted on Saturday, May 15, 2004 - 07:31 am: |
|
Hi there, Chris from Australia...a mate of mine has an old 22'launch (1930's?) that had a superstructure added later. The boat has a 4-cyl perkins diesel (30hp) and a "Thames Marine Propulsion Systems" hydraulic gearbox. He bought the boat months ago, and she is rotten on top, so he will have her on land to replace the cabin. He let the tranny run a bit dry over the last 2 months, not aware of the nature of his powerplant, and he was wondering why she wasn't shifting on command. I told him about the transmission fluid level, and about the dipstick that would be on the filler bolt. Sure enough, she was off the stick. He went and bought some tranny fluid, topped her up, and away she went. We went for a cruise together (I have a similar size cruiser with a Bukh DV20 and manual) and a seal in his gearbox blew and he lost transmission. I cannot find any info on Thames gearboxes...I would like to help him with diagrams, specs, etc. Any clues?
Yours , Chris Gormly. |
raymond
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 10:39 pm: |
|
KEVIN REA,
I would say that your engine from that era is a 6-71-Grey Marine (still a G-M though) with low block-composition head gasket-chain drive lube oil pump-- 2 valve head and 165 hp @ 1800 rpm.In picture #1 the fixed arm with the two studs with locknuts is for limiting the arm travel-forward/astern. In pic. 2 the small cover on flywheel housing may give access to the ahead clutch adjustment.this compartment should be dry.pic 3-4 show oil level dipstick for reverse gear. This g/box should use straight engine oil. Higgins was a boatbuilder so the housing would have been made outshop and the innards might well be Borg-Warner or similar. It also appears to be direct drive, no reduction gear but I could be wrong. Also I think you can lift the top casing off, this may be the way in to adjust the reverse band. HTH. |
JD PAULEY
Visitor
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 11:13 am: |
|
I HAVE THE SAME TRANNY ON A 671 ALL INFO WOULD BE HELPFUL. I CANT FIND ANYTHING ON IT MYSELF
THANKS |
Kevin A
Visitor
| | Posted on Saturday, March 26, 2005 - 06:25 pm: |
|
Looking for a gear that will fit the 471 detroit deisel. Needs to be 1.5-1 ratio and a 4.5 inch drop. If anybody has any idea as to where I could find something like this, it would be most appreciative. Thanks. |
Mark M
Visitor
| | Posted on Friday, November 01, 2013 - 04:02 pm: |
|
I have the same gearbox in my commercial salmon troller. It's a 1.5 to 1 ratio driven by a Gray Marine 671 WW 2 surplus LCVP engine that is spec'd at 225 HP. Although fishermen call them "Higgins Crash Boxes", the Higgins name I think refers to the mfr of the LCVP WW2 landing craft they were used in. I think they were actually made by Allison. They work fine without the water cooling if you aren't driving them in extreme service. Most fishermen disconnected the water cooling to prevent damage if water seeped across the heat exchanging surface and got into the gears. Mine has never been overhauled and is still working fine in a commercial fishing boat at least 71 years after it was made. I use Delo 100 40 wt oil in it. Other than a little oil seepage through the seals it works fine. Takes a bit of force to shift it but that's no big deal. I am going to repower and get a new transmission with hydraulics and a trolling valve, but I will sure miss that crash box. It has served me well and never left me stranded. 70+ years with no down time or overhaul. Try and do that with a "modern" gearbox.
Mark |
steves
New member
Username: steves
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2020
| | Posted on Sunday, June 28, 2020 - 03:13 pm: |
|
Transmission for a Gray Marine
Trans # GMD-31 SN#92545
from a Detroit Diesel Block GM371 SN#371487
Looking for the transmission or parts, or a rebuild. |
|
|
|
|
