Engine runs fine, will not engage the prop.

[tobeboom]

Running boat wide open for its first spring run when about 20 min. into the run the prop let go and the engine rapped. Enginge starts and runs fine but when you try to put in gear forward or backward the motor just revs, no prop movment. With engine off though put it in gear and it locks the prop like it is in gear. HELP PLEASE, it is fishing season.

 

[jwhite]

Re: Engine runs fine, will not engage the prop.

First off what kind of engine is it? First thing you need to do is check the hub in the prop and make sure it hasn't spun. If the hub is ok then you have a problem with the foot. It may have a broken drive shaft.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Engine runs fine, will not engage the prop.

You may have lost the splines between driveshaft and crankshaft. Try to turn engine off, put in forward gear, remove sparkwires from sparkplugs, be shure it cannot start !!!!! and try to turn engine by propeller. You shold hear it slip, in lower unit somewhere or in top end at driveshaft.

 

[Franki]

Re: Engine runs fine, will not engage the prop.

you need to find out whats going on..<br /><br />if you stop the engine, put it in gear, take the cover off, and turn the flywheel.. does the prop turn without obstruction.. now reverse it and try turning the prop and see if it turns the flywheel. at least that will take the... if it doesn't then you have problems that may be any thing from a stripped spline, stripped grear, totaled clutch dog or any number of other things..<br /><br />any of which require you drop the leg and investigate.. which is a good idea anyway.. <br /><br />If it was a car gearbox I would say you had a damaged selector or similiar, but the mechanisms in outboards are very different and it depends entirely what the problem is..<br /><br />it may be just that your gear linkage has come loose and itsn't putting it in gear properly at all..<br /><br />drop the leg and try the tests wiht it off.<br /><br />rgds<br /><br />frank<br /><br />PS, I just noticed that others had posted to this... but I wrote it, so I am posting it

 

[almost retired again]

Re: Engine runs fine, will not engage the prop.

Tobeboom,it could be a spun hub on the prop.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Engine runs fine, will not engage the prop.

Hello .Is it by any chance an older type outboard? You know the type that has a shear pin that holds the prop?????......

 

[tobeboom]

Re: Engine runs fine, will not engage the prop.

Thanks for all the advice, I will see what I can do with it. The motor is a Mercury 150 and is not very old maybe three or four years and only has 30.3 hrs on it. The engine looks like it is straight off the show room floor. I hope it is nothing major. Thanks again for all the advice.