I just bought a 2009 prodrive 36hp with 55 hours last week. I got it home and was checking it out and noticed when you engage the clutch so the prop spins with it out of the water (just sitting in the driveway) there is noise from the lower unit. I did a search through the posts talking about PD lower units and there is no significant vibration like an unbalanced prop and no real grinding like blown bearings. If I had to describe it - it would be a metal rattling noise. It is not real loud but it is noticeable and louder than any noise from my 27hp longtail shaft or any of my outboards. I drained the lower unit oil and see no significant metal shavings and no milky tinge like with blown bearings or blown seals. I have been running longtails for several years but finally stepped up to a surface drive so don't have much experience with these type motors. Mud motors of any type are fairly rare in my area (I have only ever seen 1 surface drive in the past 2 years of hunting) so don't have any options of going to look/listen to one in person and compare to mine. Is a ratteling noise normal when the prop/clutch engages? Thanks for any info.

Normal

Sometimes the skeg will rattle a little bit and it sounds like LU rattling

Yep normal pd changed gear manufacturing i drove down to pd let them hear it Peck offer to look at it but we started 2 new ones they sounded the same

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Thanks everyone!

Normal...out of the water when I engage the clutch it sounds like a metal mixer scraping on a metal bowl...kinda clanky scraping sounding.

Wait til you get it in the water and get it in just the right turn and you here a fast rat rat rat rat rat coming from the LU. I was convinced the sob didn't have gear oil in it the first time I took it out. Check it, it was full, many moons later oil still clean, chalk it off as normal