Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

[TampaBoater]

So, to recap, I had replaced the bell housing gasket and then reverse wouldnt engage. Pulled the lower unit, and reinstalled making sure the prop was locked on fwd all the time. Nothing. Still no reverse. Pulled the entire drive, inspected the shift shaft, and the small, black pastic piece on it that engages with the cable fot the shifting operation, all is good, reinstalled drive, with the shift in fwd, and propeller locked in fwd, small turn to the prop to align the splines, everything goes in smooth as butter, tightened everything down, connected the trim cylinders. Again, nothing. I don't know what else to do. The shift cable when engaged manually, feels smooth and free, but still won't engage reverse. All it does is ratchet but clutch will not engage. Fwd is fine...kicks in nice and smooth. (at least I got fwd if I wanted to go out for a trip around the intercoastal) Any suggestions?

 

[JerryIrons]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Did you separate the lower unit from the upper when you did your work?

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Did you separate the lower unit from the upper when you did your work?

Yes, and when I re installed on the upper drive, I made sure to do so with the prop locked in fwd gear. But I only separated them the second time i pulled the drive because I noticed the shift rod was not seated in the shoe properly.

 

[alldodge]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

So, to recap, I had replaced the bell housing gasket and then reverse wouldnt engage. Pulled the lower unit, and reinstalled making sure the prop was locked on fwd all the time. Nothing. Still no reverse. Pulled the entire drive, inspected the shift shaft, and the small, black pastic piece on it that engages with the cable fot the shifting operation, all is good, reinstalled drive, with the shift in fwd, and propeller locked in fwd, small turn to the prop to align the splines, everything goes in smooth as butter, tightened everything down, connected the trim cylinders. Again, nothing. I don't know what else to do. The shift cable when engaged manually, feels smooth and free, but still won't engage reverse. All it does is ratchet but clutch will not engage. Fwd is fine...kicks in nice and smooth. (at least I got fwd if I wanted to go out for a trip around the intercoastal) Any suggestions?

Pull the drive and see if it will go in FWD/REV using the shift foot (FWD achieved when foot is FWD). If it does not, need to seperate the halves and make sure the lower is in FWD when sliding together and the shift foot is facing FWD

 

[JerryIrons]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Yes, and when I re installed on the upper drive, I made sure to do so with the prop locked in fwd gear. But I only separated them the second time i pulled the drive because I noticed the shift rod was not seated in the shoe properly.

I'm guessing the lower shift shaft wasn't turned clockwise when you mated the halves together?

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Pull the drive and see if it will go in FWD/REV using the shift foot (FWD achieved when foot is FWD). If it does not, need to seperate the halves and make sure the lower is in FWD when sliding together and the shift foot is facing FWD

I did what you ask, before I installed the drive to the bell housing, and it does lock gears in both directions.

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

I'm guessing the lower shift shaft wasn't turned clockwise when you mated the halves together?

The lower shift shaft was turned clockwise and pressure was applied to the prop with a bungie cord to keep the pressure applied.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

I did what you ask, before I installed the drive to the bell housing, and it does lock gears in both directions.

Ayuh,..... Lookin' under the boat, is the shift shoe movin' to it's proper positions,..??

Can ya reach up there, 'n help it,..??

How old is the lower shift cable,..??

Above, ya mentioned the shoe, 'n foot were mis-aligned,...
Did they get bent in the process,..??

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Ayuh,..... Lookin' under the boat, is the shift shoe movin' to it's proper positions,..??

Can ya reach up there, 'n help it,..??

How old is the lower shift cable,..??

Above, ya mentioned the shoe, 'n foot were mis-aligned,...
Did they get bent in the process,..??

1. Yes the shoe is at the 12 o clock on fwd, and it is turned to the port side of the boat in reverse. I have not tried to reach up and see if I can help it engage.
2. I don't know how old the cable is, but like I say it does not look bad.
3. the rod and shoe were not bent by the mis-fit the first time.

reverse just grinds but does not engage.

 

[JerryIrons]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Like Bondo said, shift into reverse, and then get underneath and use your finger to push the shoe into reverse. It's kind of surprising how little it takes to be in neutral vs reverse.

If you could shift into reverse just fine before putting the drive on the boat, there are only a few things left.

At the engine, take the barrel out of the holder, and then manually shift into reverse, and when you do it, hold it tight and see if it's in reverse now (have a helper check it)

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Like Bondo said, shift into reverse, and then get underneath and use your finger to push the shoe into reverse. It's kind of surprising how little it takes to be in neutral vs reverse.

If you could shift into reverse just fine before putting the drive on the boat, there are only a few things left.

At the engine, take the barrel out of the holder, and then manually shift into reverse, and when you do it, hold it tight and see if it's in reverse now (have a helper check it)

I did take the cable of the shift plate, and tried pulling on it to engage reverse, but still didn't, just grinds. I have no one to help me right now, and it's looking like rain, will try tomorrow.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

If you had the drive off and it moved FNR the way its supposed to do but does not shift into reverse by manually pulling the cable end inside the boat. It could be that mud/debris got inside the shift slide and is preventing it from fully seating in the housing.
Remove the drive, manually shift the drive into reverse and note the location. With the cable still removed from the shift plate ,pull inward
all the way, see if upper shoe is about the same position. approx. 10:00 .
and post pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! photobucket .com is free
With the cable off the plate, you should be able to push the slide all the way until its bottomed out on the housing

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

I will try again tomorrow, but i did this today and even stuck my finger right where the red arrow is, feeling nothing but grease.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

like I said, you should be able to push that slide all the way in till it hits the back of the housing. Too much grease can get packed in there too. If that was the case of not being able to seat it all the way. remove the 2 square bolts ,remove the black plastic housing, remove the safety wire and allen bolt. Some Hi Heat might be necessary. pull the slide and core out , remove core from slide , clean slide with regular drill bits to clean it out

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

like I said, you should be able to push that slide all the way in till it hits the back of the housing. Too much grease can get packed in there too. If that was the case of not being able to seat it all the way. remove the 2 square bolts ,remove the black plastic housing, remove the safety wire and allen bolt. Some Hi Heat might be necessary. pull the slide and core out , remove core from slide , clean slide with regular drill bits to clean it out

I pulled the drive,(again) and here it is. I cleaned out the slide cavity free of gunk and grease. I took the cable off the shift plate and tried moving it from down at the slide...it moves freely and even touches all the way back to the housing when in full reverse. I climbed up, and put the shifter in full reverse, with the slide still in reverse touching the housing, and installed the cable to the shift plate, thus making sure that fukk reverse was engaged when I tried to shift. Here are some pics before I put drive back...

 

[TampaBoater]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

Update. I went and reinstalled the drive, again. Lo and behold, NOTHING!
I begining to think its a lower unit issue more than anything.

 

[JerryIrons]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

If the drive is back on, what happens when you get underneath, and use your finger to help the shoe shift it into reverse.

 

[dozerII]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

If the drive is back on, what happens when you get underneath, and use your finger to help the shoe shift it into reverse.

Anyone else notice all the green gear oil in the bellows!

 

[JerryIrons]

Re: Alpha 1 still not engaging reverse!!!

If you can successfully shift into reverse and forward with the drive off of the boat, it doesn't sound like a lower unit problem. It's either the shift shoe bracket assembly (intermediate shaft?) a little bent, it doesn't take much, or problem with the shift cable not pushing into reverse enough. By pushing on it (shoe in bracket) with your finger you can verify that the cable is even able to make the drive shift into reverse.

My 1986 outdrive has a slightly worn shift spool, enough so that when I adjust my shift cable, I do it backwards. I get reverse working first, and then get forward adjusted.