Any one know anything about this style of thrust bearing?

[ViribusUnitis]

I have a 4-71 Detroit Diesel with a twin disk clutch. Then it is connected to a shaft with universal joints, and then this thrust bearing to a shaft through to the stern of the vessel.

The transmission has a 2.95:1 ratio, and the engine tops out at ~1900 rpm. The shaft tops out at 644 rpm or so.

From there it goes through a standard packing seal.

I know nothing about this style of bearing, and the grease fitting. The fitting is almost impossible to get to. It's buried under the gen set. The universal joints show signs of recent greasing. The thrust bearing does not. The boat was built in 1999. Is it possible that the thrust bearing was never greased?

I figured what the hell. A bearing is never damaged by too much grease, so I had some grease. On every other grease fittings that I'm used to when you add grease at the insert old grease squeezed out somewhere else. No grease comes out of this thrust bearing. At least none that I can find.

[Lepke]

Bearings can be sealed and never get greased. If the zerk fitting is hard to get to, you can plumb tubing to it and have the zerk at an easy location. The grease for the thrust bearing is going somewhere. Either take it apart or talk to a former owner. A thrust bearing in a beam is common with larger engines. The 471 is a heavy duty engine. Although my 671s have the thrust bearing in the transmission. Maybe this boat originally had a different engine/trans without a thrust bearing.

[Stuarth44]

Very well be a sealed bearing maybe usually twin disc will take thrust that is my understanding of it so it could very well be a sealed bearing
Try turning the shaft by hand and see if there is any rumbling I'll put a pinch bar under it and see if there's any movement chances are there is nothing wrong with the bearing it is so close to the gearbox also, look at it seems to be a self aligning bearing just a few ideas kind regards

[ViribusUnitis]

The engine was in the boat from the beginning.

I can't find a seal on the bearing, however I've never seen a bearing arrangement quite like this. I added grease until it started to build some resistance. I still can't find any grease coming out.

I turned to the chef with the bar it does not make noise, and when I use the engine to turn it it doesn't heat up. My guess is the bearings fine, but who knows what it was last greased.

The whole arrangement is almost impossible to take pictures of. It is impossible to see.

[tkeithlu]

After a continuous run of 15 minutes or more, under load (moving the boat in gear) it doesn't start heating up? There's no play when you put a pry bar on it? No rumble or bumping that you can feel with your hand on it (or nearby connected steel)? If yes to all the above, I can't see how you have a problem. Go find something else to worry about. I love big DDs.