Penta DPH running in beach mode possible ?

papparazzi

papparazzi

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Hi All,

My DPH trims are broken and after checking the pump works I now suspect internal sealing issues in the trim cylinder resulting in zero pressure up or downwards. This means when I engage reverse, the drives will move upwards within seconds likely all the way to beach if I don't disengage after latest 2 seconds.

Question, on 700 rpm in idle, what will happen if the drives indeed go up all the way to maximum beach? I would like to know that in case of an emergency I will be able to have some reverse capabilities.

Thanks
 
"Driving in Beach range
The beach range is used for driving at reduced speed
in shallow water or where the depth is unknown.
The highest permitted engine speed when in the Beach
range is 1500 rpm."

If it goes all the way up, you risk damaging the UJ.
 
SC35 said:
"Driving in Beach range
The beach range is used for driving at reduced speed
in shallow water or where the depth is unknown.
The highest permitted engine speed when in the Beach
range is 1500 rpm."

If it goes all the way up, you risk damaging the UJ.
Click to expand...
Surely this would be no worse than selecting beach mode and putting the throttles astern? Not something you'd want to do regularly but it shouldn't do any damage occasionally?
 
Beach range is fine.
But if the drive ends up in the "Lift range" with the engine running (not normally possible), you could end up hearing some very expensive wallet-shrinking types of noises.

"Trim Ranges
To be able to use the information on the trim
instrument, it is important to be aware of the three trim
ranges and the way they are used.
Trim range
The trim range are used to provide the best comfort
when driving – from starting to top speed.
Beach range
The beach range is used for driving at low speed in
shallow water or where the depth is unknown.
The highest permitted engine speed when in the beach
range is 1500 rpm.
IMPORTANT:
Make sure the drive's coolant inlet is never trimmed out
of the water when operating in the beach range.
Lift range
The lift range is never used when the boat is under
way. It lifts the drive to maximum height and is used for
e.g. transporting the boat on a trailer. Power Trim has
an automatic stop that turns off the power when the
end position is reached. The catch is released
automatically when the stern drive is trimmed down.
WARNING!
Never run the engine with the drive in the “lift” range."
 
Last edited:
Thanks @SC35 . I share a short Video of DPH trim issue which likely makes it more visual - but in short I suspect that the drive will continue to move upwards towards lift range (all the way to +45 on DPH) if I wouldn't disengage the reverse gear. As you will see there is essentially no resistance from the trim cylinders holding the drive in place, the moment the gear is astern the props work the drive upwards.

For now I try to have it in reverse only for 1-2s maximum but this already easily goes all the way up to beach zone of +10(ish). In such cases I would always be only in idle at 700 rpm so the question is if this will already damage the u-joints or not.
 
papparazzi said:
Thanks @SC35 . I share a short Video of DPH trim issue which likely makes it more visual - but in short I suspect that the drive will continue to move upwards towards lift range (all the way to +45 on DPH) if I wouldn't disengage the reverse gear. As you will see there is essentially no resistance from the trim cylinders holding the drive in place, the moment the gear is astern the props work the drive upwards.

For now I try to have it in reverse only for 1-2s maximum but this already easily goes all the way up to beach zone of +10(ish). In such cases I would always be only in idle at 700 rpm so the question is if this will already damage the u-joints or not
Click to expand...
 
Mr Googler said:
Sounds a bit like Russian roulette. Fingers crossed you got away with it but I wouldn’t keep chancing your luck

Pardon our interruption...

Or just the seals

Trim Ram Seal Kit for Volvo Penta DP-H DPH, DP-R, DPR Sterndrive

Seems a decent price. Any hydraulic shop should be able to do it
Click to expand...
@Mr Googler totally agree and I got 4 kits of your first link (from the same vendor) including 2 x replacement shafts on stock for the repair alongside a brand new pump. My problem is the boat needs to haul out and I need to drive there and there might be a few more situations to reverse. What should help is that the drive typically is straight and on very low rpm in such situations... but I guess the more I do it the more likely I will end up with tear on the u joints, just hope they won't break from this at lowest idle RPM.
 
papparazzi said:
Thanks @SC35 . I share a short Video of DPH trim issue which likely makes it more visual - but in short I suspect that the drive will continue to move upwards towards lift range (all the way to +45 on DPH) if I wouldn't disengage the reverse gear. As you will see there is essentially no resistance from the trim cylinders holding the drive in place, the moment the gear is astern the props work the drive upwards.

For now I try to have it in reverse only for 1-2s maximum but this already easily goes all the way up to beach zone of +10(ish). In such cases I would always be only in idle at 700 rpm so the question is if this will already damage the u-joints or not.
Click to expand...

With engine running - Beach zone is good.
Lift zone is bad. Very Bad.
 
Last edited:
papparazzi said:
@Mr Googler totally agree and I got 4 kits of your first link (from the same vendor) including 2 x replacement shafts on stock for the repair alongside a brand new pump. My problem is the boat needs to haul out and I need to drive there and there might be a few more situations to reverse. What should help is that the drive typically is straight and on very low rpm in such situations... but I guess the more I do it the more likely I will end up with tear on the u joints, just hope they won't break from this at lowest idle RPM.
Click to expand...
Gotcha. Lots of prep so you don’t have to use reverse. Marina staff or mates can’t alongside tow you?
 
Mr Googler said:
Gotcha. Lots of prep so you don’t have to use reverse. Marina staff or mates can’t alongside tow you?
Click to expand...
Thinking outside the box a little….stop them climbing by mechanical means?

I don’t know where you are in the world but go for a dip….attach a decent sized line to each drive and take those lines forward to the bow?
 
Hi all, just as the final update to close the thread.

I wasn't able to secure the sterndrives mechanically in the downward position however I successfully made the 20 miles journey to haul out with very limited operations in reverse. Whenever I was putting the driver in reverse it was only for 1 second with the helm centered to not overstress the u-joints. Fast forward, all 4 DPH trim cylinders (DPH-A from 2010, suspected to be original) had a broken (disintegrated) internal seal on the piston essentially not allowing any pressure to build up in any direction. Interestingly the external seal seemed all in working order and there was no water found anywhere in the system.

I have sourced replacement seals and a new end cap from Poseidon Marine and repaired all the cylinders using the special tool to open the caps. All in all this is not a complicated job especially not if combined with the sterndrive maintenance whereby the drive would come off the transom shield anyways to exchange the bellows.
 
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