New to me Carver 3227. Questions about v-drive & Generator - owners please help

[mobinakhtar]

Hello Guys. I recently acquired a 1988 Carver 3227 (previously erroneously called 3207 by me) convertible. seems to have been very well kept. I purchased this for cruising in the ICW by freeport TX and up Old Brazos river for fun.

1. Starboard V-drive is not apparently leaking from anywhere visibly on the floor (I have not done a diaper/towel test below v-drive yet) but it loses pretty much ALL oil on the dipstick quickly. Found no oil when I bought it, filled it - was docked for 10 days, then I drove it 41 miles (4 hrs trip and light came on after 38 miles about 3.85 hours of running - it was bone dry again). I have a feeling it takes only 1-2 quarts total anyway. NO water in drive - just bone dry. Any suggestions?

2. Genset is driving me nuts. In my Viking, there is a transfer switch so you turn on genny, warm it up and then transfer from shore power to Genset. Here I have a toggle on the panel marked "generator". If you toggle it, Genset cranks but it won't start. I hear a relay clicking behind the panel too but I am not sure why it's not starting, Is it because the boat is plugged into shore? or do I need to do something else? both tanks are over half-full (learned on previous 03 carver 396 that less than a quarter tank = no Genset start). Is there another switch somewhere? Can someone with a 3207 chime in, please.

[Viper]

What model V-drive are we talking about? 1-2 quarts of tranny fluid seems low to me but it depends on the model. There's really nowhere for the tranny fluid to go other than the bilge or out the exhaust but in the latter, you'd see water in the unit. This would happen with a failed heat exchanger (oil cooler).

It would help to know what make and model generator you have. The relay clicking behind the panel is puzzling as that indicates an automatic transfer but you say you have a manual switch so it'll be interesting to find what that is that's clicking. The genny should still start with the boat plugged into shore. Could be a number of things so start with going back to basics such as checking that it's getting fuel, getting spark, etc. Are you sure the fuel shut off valve is turned to the ON position? If it's not getting fuel, start with checking the anti-siphon valve at the top of the fuel tank. It's the fitting the hose hooks up to. You can also isolate the genny from the boat by hooking up a portable fuel tank. If it runs, the problem lies anywhere from the tank to the genny, if it still doesn't run, the problem is in the genny. If you hook up a portable tank, make sure you ventilate properly.

[km1125]

I agree on the oil cooler on the tranny. Not hard to test either. You just remove both the lines, cap one end and pressurize the other and see if it leaks down.

[buster53]

A couple things…
There could be any number of reasons why the genset isn’t starting. Bad fuel pump and clogged anti siphon valve are the first two things I’d look at.
V-drives? I’ve never seen a 3207 with V-drives, always been straight drives.

[bud37]

The convertible is a 3227. If the fluid is all gone and did not leak into the bilge then it went out thru the cooler or thru the engine/exhaust via the cooler ....I really don't see any other way.

[km1125]

QR_BBPOST
V-drives? I’ve never seen a 3207 with V-drives, always been straight drives.

That's what I was thinking. As far as I knew, all 3207s were aft cabin.

If it's a 32 Convertible (that they made from 84 to 93), then the V-drives make sense.

[mobinakhtar]

CORRECTION: IT IS A 3227 and NOT a 3207. My bad. It does have Walter V-drives. I will return to Marina on Tuesday 12/14 and try to take some pictures and also check on some of the valuable suggestions. I forgot to mention - the Gen side fuel tank also will not accept fuel flow from the pump. I think the breather is clogged. We have to pump really slow and still it burps really bad. Had to remove sender to fill it last trip in a pinch. Replaced fuel hose just in case (Old one appeared cracking)

[bud37]

QR_BBPOST Had to remove sender to fill it last trip in a pinch. Replaced fuel hose just in case (Old one appeared cracking)

While you are there, double check the bonding/ground continuity from your fuel fill ports.....safety measure to control static sparks on filling.

[Viper]

Are you referring to the Walters losing oil or the Velvet Drive transmission on the engine?

[km1125]

QR_BBPOST CORRECTION: IT IS A 3227 and NOT a 3207. My bad. It does have Walter V-drives. I will return to Marina on Tuesday 12/14 and try to take some pictures and also check on some of the valuable suggestions. I forgot to mention - the Gen side fuel tank also will not accept fuel flow from the pump. I think the breather is clogged. We have to pump really slow and still it burps really bad. Had to remove sender to fill it last trip in a pinch. Replaced fuel hose just in case (Old one appeared cracking)

Did that resolve the issue? Which hose did you replace... the fill hose or the vent hose?

Can't imagine a vent being plugged stopping you from filling at less than the fastest fill, as air should be coming back up the fuel fill hose. Is it possible that the fill hose has sagged and creating a low spot (block off the reverse flow of air), or is kinked somewhere? The fuel vents frequently get plugged up with spider nests on the screen, so if you haven't already done so you might look in there for any kind of debris or pests.