89 Sea Ray won't shift into gear - loud noise at idle

[kibitzer]

Good Morning Everyone,

I have a 1989 Sea Ray Seville with a Mercruiser 4.3L Engine and, I believe, an Alpha One sterndrive. The other day when returning home and the boat stopped working and I am looking for some advise as to what may be the cause.

I put the boat into neutral and when I went to shift back into forward it would not go. The boat was making a loud grumbling or growling type of noise. It still makes this noise when I start the boat up, the second the engine comes on, from the rear (I can't tell if the noise is coming from engine, or from the sterndrive) you can hear this grumbling coming from back there. It will not shift into forward or reverse, it only revs the engine.

I do not know if this is related, but a couple of weeks ago I was cruising and went to put the boat into neutral to anchor and take a swim, and it would not go into neutral. I had to wiggle the throttle and then I could finally hear the "clunk" noise indicating it came out of gear. Hindsight, I probably should have looked into the problem right then and there, but, being a new boater, I didn't. I read a post where someone said "problems don't go away on their own"...

Last year I developed a leak in the transom. I immediately had the boat pulled out of the water, and the mechanic took apart the sterndrive. He replaced the bellows, and some gaskets, and then sealed the whole sterndrive, which fixed the leak. He informed me that there was quite a bit of rot in the transom area and if he ever had to pull the engine I am probably done for because of the rot.

So, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what the problem could be. I spent the day reading yesterday, and found a lot of useful information. I talked to my marina today and they are going to pull the boat for me and have a look. More than likely it is going to take them a while to get around to me since they are so busy, so I am wondering if it could be something as simple as a shift cable (ie, if its the shift cable is it going to cause the loud, not overly loud, but loud, grumbling type noise, that I am hearing?). I'm trying to figure out of the problem is more than likely something that is going to require the engine being pulled out, meaning the boat is done for. I don't want to wait for 3 weeks for the mechanic to tell me I'm hosed when I could have been boat shopping or bought a new "beater" type boat to get me through the season.

Thanks much, sorry, long post, but trying to provide as much information as possible. I'm literally sick to my stomach today and it feels like my entire life is over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EDIT: I *think* that I smelled something "burnt" or "burning" when it would not shift into gear. I can't really describe it well because I can't remember (should have posted this Friday when it happened!)

KIB

 

[Bondo]

Re: 89 Sea Ray won't shift into gear - loud noise at idle

Good Morning Everyone,

I have a 1989 Sea Ray Seville with a Mercruiser 4.3L Engine and, I believe, an Alpha One sterndrive. The other day when returning home and the boat stopped working and I am looking for some advise as to what may be the cause.

I put the boat into neutral and when I went to shift back into forward it would not go. The boat was making a loud grumbling or growling type of noise. It still makes this noise when I start the boat up, the second the engine comes on, from the rear (I can't tell if the noise is coming from engine, or from the sterndrive) you can hear this grumbling coming from back there. It will not shift into forward or reverse, it only revs the engine.

I do not know if this is related, but a couple of weeks ago I was cruising and went to put the boat into neutral to anchor and take a swim, and it would not go into neutral. I had to wiggle the throttle and then I could finally hear the "clunk" noise indicating it came out of gear. Hindsight, I probably should have looked into the problem right then and there, but, being a new boater, I didn't. I read a post where someone said "problems don't go away on their own"...

Last year I developed a leak in the transom. I immediately had the boat pulled out of the water, and the mechanic took apart the sterndrive. He replaced the bellows, and some gaskets, and then sealed the whole sterndrive, which fixed the leak. He informed me that there was quite a bit of rot in the transom area and if he ever had to pull the engine I am probably done for because of the rot.

So, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what the problem could be. I spent the day reading yesterday, and found a lot of useful information. I talked to my marina today and they are going to pull the boat for me and have a look. More than likely it is going to take them a while to get around to me since they are so busy, so I am wondering if it could be something as simple as a shift cable (ie, if its the shift cable is it going to cause the loud, not overly loud, but loud, grumbling type noise, that I am hearing?). I'm trying to figure out of the problem is more than likely something that is going to require the engine being pulled out, meaning the boat is done for. I don't want to wait for 3 weeks for the mechanic to tell me I'm hosed when I could have been boat shopping or bought a new "beater" type boat to get me through the season.

Thanks much, sorry, long post, but trying to provide as much information as possible. I'm literally sick to my stomach today and it feels like my entire life is over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KIB

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... It Could be alota things, 'n yer not doin' any of the work, so wait for yer mechanic to tell ya What blew up...

If You were doin' the work, the 1st thing to do is check the drive's oil...
then pull the drive, 'n light the motor...
If the noise is gone, the Drive is the problem...

 

[kibitzer]

Re: 89 Sea Ray won't shift into gear - loud noise at idle

The situation I am in is that I have an opportunity to purchase another beater boat to "save" a couple weeks of the season, and I am afraid they won't be getting back to me for a couple of weeks. I just don't want to wait 2-3 weeks to have them say "gotta pull engine, you're hosed" when I could buy a new boat in the meantime (broke, so I'd have to pull strings that I shouldn't really be pulling!)

Guess my question boils down to what are the odds that whatever this could be is going to require the engine to be pulled out?

Thanks for the reply, means a lot to me .. Sitting here feels like the world is spinning out of control..I work my *** off all year just for a couple months in the summer and I'm pretty upset at the moment

 

[Bondo]

Re: 89 Sea Ray won't shift into gear - loud noise at idle

The situation I am in is that I have an opportunity to purchase another beater boat to "save" a couple weeks of the season, and I am afraid they won't be getting back to me for a couple of weeks. I just don't want to wait 2-3 weeks to have them say "gotta pull engine, you're hosed" when I could buy a new boat in the meantime (broke, so I'd have to pull strings that I shouldn't really be pulling!)

Guess my question boils down to what are the odds that whatever this could be is going to require the engine to be pulled out?

Thanks for the reply, means a lot to me .. Sitting here feels like the world is spinning out of control..I work my *** off all year just for a couple months in the summer and I'm pretty upset at the moment

Ayuh,... You describe Drive issues,...

I donno, but I kinda doubt this has anything to do with pullin' the motor...

 

[kibitzer]

Re: 89 Sea Ray won't shift into gear - loud noise at idle

To be quite frank with you, that's what I was hoping for, just to get me through today so some of the shock can wear off! I'm one of those people that sit around freaking out. My grandmother used to tell me dang, you worry about everything and when there's nothing going on you worry why is there nothing to worry about... lol Thanks much.

I read somewhere that if I smelled a burning smell, like that of rubber, it's probably the engine coupler, which would require an engine pull, and I do remember smelling something funny but I was so traumatized I can't be 100% certain.

 

[Struc]

Re: 89 Sea Ray won't shift into gear - loud noise at idle

It *could* be a coupler, but it could be a lot of other things too. Best bet would be to pull the outdrive yourself, and see if it is still making any kind of noise when the engine is started. This won't tell you if it's a coupler, but will at least eliminate engine noise. You should be able to see the coupler with a mirror when you pull the drive.

You can pull the 4 screws at the top of the outdrive. Check that the gears look good. There could still be other problems in the drive, but it at least eliminates 1 more thing quickly.

Check the U-Joints. They could be bad and causing the noise.

Start with those things and keep working your way to others, and you'll be diagnosing the problem in no time.

Of bigger concern is the rot that was mentioned. A bad transom will eventually do bad things to your boat if you keep running it that way. There are 100's of current threads on transom rebuilds (as well as deck / stringer) to use as a guide.