Engine Synchronizer Inoperable

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

hip82

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2024
Messages
9
Location
Annapolis
Looking at a boat with twin Cat 3116 engines and the engine synchronizer is inoperable. How significant is this issue?
Cost and difficulty in repairing?
 
An awful lot of boats don't have synchronizers and they do just fine. You can tell by the sound if they're synched or not. The synchronizer does make it a little easier but it's not necessary. If you tell the brand some one here will probably know how to fix it.
 
Not significant. Cost to repair can vary. If a simple fix I might pursue it.
 
Is it a Glendenning or some other brand? Most common failure is in the rotary cable between the engines and the synchronizer. This is simple and not very expensive. Probably $100.

In the case of CAT’s there is a 1” key way adapter that often fails. I keep spares on board as I seem to replace these every 4 years. They cost only $10 a piece.
 
I was told by the PO that the Synchronizer was inoperable. Turns out he did not know how to use it...:rolleyes:.
 
I was told by the PO that the Synchronizer was inoperable. Turns out he did not know how to use it...:rolleyes:.
That is common, on many systems there are micro switches that prevent the system turning on until the main throttle is advanced sufficiently. People turn on the main switch and when nothing happens they assume it’s broken.
 
Yes, on mine I have to advance the throttle to about 1K RPMs for the sync to activate. The second year I thought it was broken because the green light showing it was working wouldn’t come on. Turned out it was a bad bulb. Simple fix.
 
Off topic but a lesson I learned years ago… there is one primary engine that determines the synch, in my case starboard, and if it stops for some reason it puts the other engine into neutral. It caused a stressful moment for me until I realized that and was able to get power and therefore steerage back using my port engine .
 
Yes, on mine I have to advance the throttle to about 1K RPMs for the sync to activate. The second year I thought it was broken because the green light showing it was working wouldn’t come on. Turned out it was a bad bulb. Simple fix.

Same with mine. Not clear as you wrote it but I can’t engage synch until then and the light won’t come on. So pushing the synchro button before then won’t do anything and won’t light up either.
 
How do you like that? My synchronizer went inoperative today. As I expected it was just the 1” adapter between my Aetna Tachometer pickup and the engines. I have spares so it was just a 10 minute job. Only I see spares are $43 instead of $10. I had a bag of 4 spares and now I am down to one. I was going to order 4 more but I think I will be cheap and order only two.
 
A synchronizer is nice to have on the the Southern ICW where you have no wake zones etc. But it not a necessity. You will quickly learn the sound when your engines are in sync.
 
Back
Top Bottom