Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

[tfiore]

Hi everyone- I'm new to this forum but I'm glad I found it. I'm eager to start reading through these posts to give and receive advice whenever I can.
I have a Crownline 266CCR with a Merc 454Mag MPI and Bravo 3. I have a strange issue with my outdrive. It's been doing this for at least 2 years now- and gradually getting worse.

The boat shifts into reverse as quickly as you can move move the shifter. Shifting into FORWARD gear though is a whole different story. Sometimes it takes as long as 5 seconds to go into gear. (I have timed it) Also- sometimes it feels like one of the props engages forward gear several seconds before the other one "joins in"... It has never once ever failed to go into gear and it has never "slipped" out of gear while driving. If I advance the throttle quickly while I'm "waiting" for it to go into gear- it will go into gear much faster but with a "clunk" that I don't like.

It all seems like shift linkage to me- but I'm no mechanic. My mechanic checked the linkage and said the adjustment is fine. He doesn't know why it's doing that. His advice: replace the upper gear set before it just quits one of these days. I'm not too sure- it's been like this for 2 years and that's a pricey repair that puts the boat out-of-service for a while.

Ideas? It's my first Bravo 3. Do they just shift strange like that?

Thanks in advance.

Tony

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

It's a linkage problem somewhere. If not inside the boat, then the lower shift cable in the drive is worn. And I am pretty sure that it is physically impossible for one prop to turn and not the other. You might just be "feeling" something there, cause you want to.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

I agree with Billy. Probably the lower shift cable; and the props cannot rotate independently.

 

[tfiore]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

Thanks for the responses. Now that I think about it.... I feel a little foolish for making the comment about the props not angaging at the same time. I guess that's not possible. This winter I'll have the lower shift cable checked out. I don't know how to check that myself.

Tony

 

[jeremyp111]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

Check out the Adults Only Section at the top of the forum and look up the manual for your drive. It will have instructions to check and adjust the shifter cables. I wouldn't wait to get that checked...It's pretty easy to do.

 

[tfiore]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

Check out the Adults Only Section at the top of the forum and look up the manual for your drive. It will have instructions to check and adjust the shifter cables. I wouldn't wait to get that checked...It's pretty easy to do.

Thanks. I was just about to post a message to try to find out if it's hard to check/adjust the shift cables. I look it up like you suggested.

Tony

 

[h2ohaulic]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

Im havin the exact same problem, wanna talk about it?

 

[h2ohaulic]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

Im havin the exact same problem, wanna talk about it?

i hope u get this, im new to the forums, aand a lil confused on how it works

 

[tfiore]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

i hope u get this, im new to the forums, aand a lil confused on how it works

I guess you're using the forum just fine. I got your message. I'm going to check the manual and try to figure out how to check/adjust my shift cables. The engine and outdrive work fine at all other times- just slow to go into forward gear. It makes docking a little tricky sometimes. That would be nice if it only needs a minor adjustment- one mechanic was suggesting I might need an entire new upper gearset.

tfiore

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

i have a bravo one but the procedure to adjust the cable is the same i beleive.

Basicly you move the barrel on the cable ( lower cable ) one way or another. What your looking for id the "CLUNK" to be the same on the shift handle. One way will engauge one gear faster or closer then the other on the handle. You want the drive to engauge solidly in forward and reverse at the same distances on the stick for forward or reverse. Also you want the gears to engauge before the shift starts to throttle the engine in either forward or reverse. Youll feel it out as you adjust the cable one way or the other to ge *** right. It takes a few tries to make this happen.

 

[tfiore]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

OK. I'll try that. The UPPER shift cable runs from the shifter to the bracket on the engine. The LOWER cable runs from the bracket to the outdrive, right? So it's probably NOT the upper gear set, cone clutch, or engine coupler... right? These have all been suggested by one mechanic or another.

tfiore

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

It is probably NOT the gears. If it stays in gear once it gets in gear, the clutches are probably fine. The mechanic is just guessing.

 

[tfiore]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

Here is some more information- if anybody is still following this thread. I tried to adjust the lower shift cable today. Guess what- it's NOT adjustable..... at all. The barrel that should spin on the cable has some type of crimp in it (looks like it was made that way- done by a machine it looks like..) I tried to adjust the upper shift cable instead- but that didn't help.

There is a verticle slot in the mounting plate where the lower shift cable attaches. Shop manual states the bolt that holds the shift cable should be at the bottom of this slot. I spoke to a local mechanic today who seems pretty knowlegable. He told me that the lower shift cable has probably stretched and is close to being worn out. Instead of replacing it ($350) he told me I could move the mounting bolt up higher in the slot and that takes up the "slack" from having a stretched cable. It's possible that this can buy you a couple of years maybe before you have to replace the cable. I haven't tried this idea yet- next time I make it out to the boat I will.

Any thoughts about this? Anybody hear of a lower shift cable getting "stretched" and then not working properly? Think his idea will work?

Thank.

tfiore

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

if you can run this on muffs heres what I'd try.

REMOVE BOTH PROPS. then remove lower shift cable form shift plate

start motor and have someone watch and then shift back and forth at lower shift cable by hand f n r and so on a few times and see how it shifts.
what will this tell me? maybe nothing or it shift fine and i would discover the problem is in upper shift cable or as stated lower cable stretched to much to work in a range that allowed full shifts form f to r. could also show nothing wrong with cables and problem is in drive

 

[gadget73]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

The cables do stretch over time. I slid mine up a smidge about 6 years ago to get the drives to engage gears at the detents instead of just past. Seems to be fine so far. Eventually I'll have to change those cables but since I'm cheap I'm going to run on the slightly tweaked adjustment as long as it works properly. I've replaced all the other shift and throttle cables, so these will have to go eventually.

 

[Bayer]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

I tried adjusting the lower cable in the slot last night and it did not help my situation. My situation is a little different. Intermitantly the forward does not work. I can always put it into reverse without a problem but once in awhile forward on the shifter has no response. It has been getting worse over the summer. I am hoping it is just the shifter cable.

 

[tfiore]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

If anybody is still following this thread.... check this out....

Both shift cables seem to be fine. The (new) mechanic took apart the upper portion of the outdrive. The cone clutch, gears, etc are all fine. BUT- the drive casing is painted black inside and the paint is peeling off all over the place. I'm talking about INSIDE the outdrive. Pieces of paint are getting into the cone clutch and keeping it from engaging until the clutch "grinds up" the paint shavings. I went to the shop to take a look. It's excactly like he told me- pieces of paint peeling off all over the place inside the drive. He told me these are not supposed to even have paint inside. He said he's never seen this before.

The drive will be completely disassembled, cleaned, bead-blasted to remove the rest of this "mystery" paint, and put back together.

Anyone ever heard of this problem??

Tony

 

[Fun Times]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

If anybody is still following this thread.... check this out....

Both shift cables seem to be fine. The (new) mechanic took apart the upper portion of the outdrive. The cone clutch, gears, etc are all fine. BUT- the drive casing is painted black inside and the paint is peeling off all over the place. I'm talking about INSIDE the outdrive. Pieces of paint are getting into the cone clutch and keeping it from engaging until the clutch "grinds up" the paint shavings. I went to the shop to take a look. It's excactly like he told me- pieces of paint peeling off all over the place inside the drive. He told me these are not supposed to even have paint inside. He said he's never seen this before.

The drive will be completely disassembled, cleaned, bead-blasted to remove the rest of this "mystery" paint, and put back together.

Anyone ever heard of this problem??

Tony

Sorry to here about your drive doing that to you. I am just curious what year is your drive, and what is that going to cost? And did you buy an extended warranty?

 

[h2ohaulic]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

I just had lower shift cable replaced,@ 377$ repair did not fix anything! I am pissed! I'm begining to think my problem is either remote control, remote cable, or paint chips like someone else found. Wouldn't there b evidence of this in gear oil? I'm takin back out 2maro to try adjusting upper cable. All things are pointing towards this being my problem? Pppplllleeease, someone has got to figure this out, it's drivin me crazy!! Almost to the point of trade in! Thanks to everyone, I will be in touch.

 

[h2ohaulic]

Re: Bravo 3 very slow into forward gear

What year is your boat? Please don't say 2003! I have an 03 sea ray 200 sundeck with merc 5.0 bravo three. I pray I don't have the same problem? Thank you!!