Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

[LostWolf]

I have a 1979 Century with a 160 gm inline 6 with a mercruiser outdrive. I have put it in the lake a few times with no problems. Being easy on it not driving to long at one time. Well we put it in the lake and started pulling the tube around. after about 3 laps it started stalling. Everytime I put it in gear it would die. I thought engine was over heating but gauges read fine. I started it it revved just fine in nuetral. Put in gear and would stall. So I threw anchor and we swam in the middle of the lake for an hour to let it cool down. Fired it up and it took right off. I went straight for the landing. I think my outdive was locking up. Can it get to hot and not work right? I have not checked but I was wondering if outdrive is low on fluid or has water in it. I am gonna drain and fill. But afraid to put kids back in it if something bad is going wrong. Anyways. To the smart ones that know more about this than me... Is it gear lube issue? I want to fix before it really breaks...
Thank You
Rob in Michigan

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

So go to the Mercruiser manual for your motor and look up engine running/stalling problems while fully warmed up.
Or is it dying when you shift it, that's a different thing.

 

[LostWolf]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

Only when putting in gear. Only after pulling tubes.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

More expert folks than me will be along later but you might be getting shift interrupter problems from your lower shift cable. I'm not so sure though, since it doesn't do it til it's fully warmed.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

Doubt its your outdrive. Even when in neutral, almost everything is spinning except for the propshaft.

Is your choke fully open when the engine is warm?

 

[LostWolf]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

Not sure. But still it revs great when in neutral. Idle all day. Put in gear and even try to hammer it fast and it bogs down and dies. Acts like rope tied up in the prop.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

Sounds like a carb or fuel pump problem.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

Most often this is signs of short shift cable, but the only when warm makes it questionable. Unless the cable is running on the exhaust tube and heating up.

First thing would be to check your drive oil. If low or empty the resulting overheating could affect the shifting internally.

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

It's probably a sticky lower shift cable,disconnect one of the wires on the shift interrupt switch and see if it still stalls.Do NOT leave this wire disconnected as you may not be able to take it out of gear.

 

[bds85466]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

I would tend to agree with the above comments...

Aside:

In the opinion of the forum, can shift cables behave differently based on if the "engine" is warmed up? Could residual heat cause the cable or linkage either work better or not as well?...make the jacket or cable itself more flexible or anything?

Not saything this has anything to do with the problem, curiosity really...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Engine stalling when put in gear-Outdrive?

The reason I don't think its a shift cable is because he is running along and then

after about 3 laps it started stalling

It also starts and shifts fine after waiting awhile.