Alpha 1 not shifting into reverse

[smartwork]

Last week while on the lake, drive seemed like it wasn't shifting out of forward correctly without having to pull back a little extra on the control. At quitting time at the dock, it didn't engage into reverse until I had it pulled back much more than normal. I checked it out today (in dry storage) and the cables "appear" to be correctly adjusted. What I did find though was that the drive will not fully engage into reverse - even if I disconnect the cable at the linkage and manually tug the cable until fully extended (for reverse). While doing so and turning the prop, I get the light click one direction and then a heavier "knock" the other direction... like it's just shy of actually engaging. I've measured it and the cable appears to extend outward the proper amount. During my testing, I noticed that my interrupt switch doesn't hardly move. Is that correct when it's not running or in the water? Any expert advice about what could be occurring in the drive to cause it not to engage into reverse? Seems to engage into forward fine with the cables connected or manually operated.

 

[Bt Doctur]

When was the drive removed for service? The shift interupter does not work on land ,only in the water coming out of gear only.If it moves any other time the lower shift cable or shift mechanism is damaged. You will have to remove the drive to check the shift spool for wear.and to see if you can manually engage reverse

 

[Fishermark]

May be a worn shift spool. But the difficulty shifting out of forward when on the water would indicate a problem of some sort with the shift interrupt switch. It should only operate when shifting out of gear when on the water. When you engage the switch manually does it kill the engine?

Look at the stickies at the top of the page for more info on how the shift interrupt should work. There is also a video I made showing the shift spool test.

 

[smartwork]

Thanks so much for both your replies. I also located this old thread that is very similar to my situation: http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engin...t-into-reverse

Looks like it needs to come off for some investigation.

 

[Bondo]

like it's just shy of actually engaging. I've measured it and the cable appears to extend outward the proper amount. During my testing, I noticed that my interrupt switch doesn't hardly move. Is that correct when it's not running or in the water?

Ayuh,.... It could also be the lower shift cable is dyin',...

As it wears the inner cable wears a groove in to outer casin', causin' slop ya can't adjust out,....

The shift switch shouldn't move, at All on the wagon,...
Only in the water under load, prop load,...

 

[smartwork]

No Title

Okay - today I pulled the out-drive... twice. Here's where I'm at. Moving the small tab/lever on the drive itself, shifting to forward, neutral, reverse appears to be fine. I have the shift cable disconnected from the linkage on the engine, so I can manually move the cable leading to the drive. When I fully move the cable to shift into reverse, the arm (in the pic) appears to be receiving full movement all the way to the housing, yet this doesn't engage the drive into reverse. I also did this prior to removing the drive and by listening to it - it sounded like this arm was moving full range when assembled. I then wondered if the set screw on the arm had allowed slippage and the rod downward was no longer set correctly, but it was rock-solid tight. Everything with the cables, levers, and rod seem to working property. Question: If we investigate down-stream from this point, are there any set screws in the drive that would have allowed the rod in the drive to have slipped - thereby not fully engaging things downward in the drive? Can't yet figure it out since everything seems to have full travel when the cables are moved.

 

[Bt Doctur]

as long as the arm will touch the housing by pushing it manually you should be able to get reverse. Then see if the cable will pull it to the rear of the case.You could have a loose/corroded lower shift spline or a worn shift spool,
If you can , turn the brass shoe in the drive fully clockwise , turn the prop shaft CCW untill locked and see it it points exactly at 12:00 .If more toward 12:30 or 1:00 the shift spool is worn

 

[smartwork]

I believe when I did that earlier (not at the boat now), it was straight-up 12:00 and no further. Everything seems correct disassembled, but doesn't work assembled. From analyzing it all, either the shoe in the drive isn't being pushed far enough to engage... or now needs to be pushed further than it should need to be to engage. With the arm touching the housing (leaving it no more room to push), I keep wanting to look down-stream for issues.