cant get in reverse

[grarrsmi]

Hey everyone. Here's what I have. 91 mercruiser alpha 1. I had the stern drive (upper and lower) off for the winter to replace the impeller and housing. It was leaking so I did that easy fix. I than pressure tested it and all is good. Here is my problem, without stern drive on, the shifter goes in reverse and forward with no problem. I can also shift upper and lower unit by hand with no problem. When I install stern drive on boat than shifter goes in forward but can't get it in reverse. I even took sterndrive back off thinking cable was jammed in there some how. Everything was good there. Also made sure the 2 shifter rods were together right and was all good. Any ideas? I am just clueless here and don't know what to check next.

 

[achris]

Re: cant get in reverse

Check the cable adjustment....

I know it shouldn't change just with a R&R on the drive, but..........

(You did put the rubber and SS washer back on the lower shift-shaft (the one at the front of the lower housing)?

Chris..........

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: cant get in reverse

Alpha one, or Alpha one-gen II? I think he needs to watch your video, Chris...

 

[thumpar]

Re: cant get in reverse

My guess would be that the drive was not put together with both upper and lower in forward completely.

 

[achris]

Re: cant get in reverse

Alpha one, or Alpha one-gen II? I think he needs to watch your video, Chris...

Since the BOAT is 1991, the engine could be either, need (as we ALWAYS ask) drive serial number to be sure.

That video can be found in the stickies, under Mercruiser information....
(I was planning on doing a Gen II water pump video, complete with how to R&R the gear housing without taking the complete drive off, this time home, but time has run out. I fly out in 2 days. :sad

Chris.....

 

[grarrsmi]

Re: cant get in reverse

Well guys just wanted to first let you know that I do know how to take just the lower off. The reason I took lower and upper off is so I could grease u-joints, check alignment, preasure check, and check anything else. Plus I could work on it in my warm garage during the winter. Today I am going to take lower unit back off to make sure washer is there and make sure both units are in forward. Will give you an update later. Thanks

 

[achris]

Re: cant get in reverse

Sorry grarrsmi, that comment about the lower unit wasn't aimed at you... There are too many people here who think it's easier to remove the whole drive, then split them on the bench. That is the case when the unis and gimbal need to be checked, but if that's not due, and all that's being done is the water pump, why remove the whole drive? I intend to do the video (one day ) to show just how easy it is...

Still don't know if your working on an Alpha One or an Alpha One Gen II..

Cheers,

Chris........

 

[Stamey]

Re: cant get in reverse

I just did this on my gen 2 last night. I put the drive on and oopsed in getting the upper and lower shift links aligned so I had to pull it part of the way back off to get those aligned and then put it back together and it was stuck in forward. Shifter was very stiff in forward and would not go into reverse at all. I thought I had messed up my cable, although I was VERY careful not to kink it. It was the slide at the end of the cable, that rotated around and let the shift rod lever out of the slot. I forgot to watch that as I installed it last night.

Chris

 

[stonyloam]

Re: cant get in reverse

The roller on the underside of the upper shaft lever has slipped from between the two arms on the shift slide (is in front of the forward arm). Put in Forward, pull the drive back and reposition the roller between the shift slide arms and reinstall.

 

[grarrsmi]

Re: cant get in reverse

Sorry grarrsmi, that comment about the lower unit wasn't aimed at you... There are too many people here who think it's easier to remove the whole drive, then split them on the bench. That is the case when the unis and gimbal need to be checked, but if that's not due, and all that's being done is the water pump, why remove the whole drive? I intend to do the video (one day ) to show just how easy it is...

Still don't know if your working on an Alpha One or an Alpha One Gen II..

Cheers,

Chris........

Hey Chris, I am all good with the taking lower off comment. I completely agree people like to take everything off. It is really easy to just take the lower off. IS EVERYONE HEARING THAT, IT IS EASY!!!! :lol: BTW it is a straight Alpha One.

So here is what I did today. Took the complete stern drive off, The reason for taking it all off is just to make sure everything is where it was suppost to be. When I took drive off, I made sure cable did not flip and jam up in there but it was good. Than I took the lower off the upper. Well the washer was there but the lower was NOT in forward. I guess when putting them together last time it must have slipped out of forward and didn't know it. While putting it back together this time I was checking every 2 minutes to make sure everything stayed in forward. Put back on the boat and now everything is working great. First turn of the key this year and it started right up. Im a happy man, now if we can just get some more 80 deg days it would be better.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: cant get in reverse

FYI I misread your description. Am I correct in assuming that you were saying that your control lever was jammed and would not move backwards into reverse? If so the reason you were jammed is that intermediate shift shaft went on "off a spline" and you were ALREADY in reverse, and when you tried to pull the lever back it would not go any farther. Next time you want to make sure it is in forward by rotating the prop counterclockwise until it locks and then holding it there with a bungee.

 

[grarrsmi]

Re: cant get in reverse

FYI I misread your description. Am I correct in assuming that you were saying that your control lever was jammed and would not move backwards into reverse? If so the reason you were jammed is that intermediate shift shaft went on "off a spline" and you were ALREADY in reverse, and when you tried to pull the lever back it would not go any farther. Next time you want to make sure it is in forward by rotating the prop counterclockwise until it locks and then holding it there with a bungee.

Yes the shift shaft must have moved while putting the 2 together. Maybe bumped the prop shaft and it popped it out of gear. The bungee cord idea is a great idea. Never thought of that. Thanks for the idea.

 

[grarrsmi]

Re: cant get in reverse

The roller on the underside of the upper shaft lever has slipped from between the two arms on the shift slide (is in front of the forward arm). Put in Forward, pull the drive back and reposition the roller between the shift slide arms and reinstall.

This is one thing I checked when I took the stern drive off. Wanted to make sure that this wasnt the problem first.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: cant get in reverse

My guess would be that the drive was not put together with both upper and lower in forward completely.

Yea!! we have a winner. Guess everyone wins! especially Grarrsmi! The tip for holding the prop CCW during the install with a bungie cord (or similar) really comes in handy for this part.
As to taking the whole drive off vs just the lower: Agree totally that removal of the lower is an easy task, as is removal of the O/D. I guess I am just a bit anal about my annual PMs, so I take the drive off once a year to do the lubes, check the bellows (since they are getting long in the tooth, like me), U-joints, gimbal brng, alignment, impeller replacement, oil change and pre-post maintenance pressure tests. One advantage I have in reassembly (besides having a rad OD stand to help mate the thing up to the bell housing (makes it easily a one man job), is that by reassembly on the stand, I can actually watch the water tube and vert shaft engage the upper half, and then I have good access to the innards for the post maint pressure test.
Just my 2c...

Good job on the fix and happy boating!