Grinding Gears

[Tom P]

I've got a 4.3l Merc I/O with an Alpha outdrive (1995). When I put the boat in forward the first couple of times I grind gears. It doesn't grind after I've been out for 10-15 mins. It's really just when I'm pulling out of my slip. Also, when I put the boat into neutral, the prop still spins a little in reverse. The shifter cable is about 3 years old. The grinding started last year.

Is this something that can be adjusted, or does this mean a new shifter cable?

Tom

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Grinding Gears

see if this helps
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Techbk/94/94hsa2.pdf

 

[starsnstripers]

Re: Grinding Gears

Good Info Doc, Here's food for thought being it's only when you take off and then it's fine. Check your Idle RPMs at take off and later after warm up and when it doesn't grind. I'm thinking maybe the engine might not be warmed up to temp and a bit cold at take off. Not sure if the rpms are up slightly until warm up. Good luck

 

[Tom P]

Re: Grinding Gears

1st thanks for the pdf. Great document. It sounds like there slack in the cable. I didn't want to make the post real confusing. So I kept the post as simple as possible but I'm actually experiencing 2 problems:

1.I back out of my slip, I place the boat in neutral for a second. The boat is still moving backwards. I then try to put the boat into forward and it grinds gears. If I force it into forward the boat lunges slightly, but goes into forward gear.

2.When going from reverse to neutral, reverse is not completely disengaging. So if I am pulling back into my slip in forward, as the bow approaches the beginning of the slip, I go into reverse so I don't crash into the dock. Then I put the boat in neutral and attach a spring line. The boat keeps moving in reverse.

Needless to say, the people around me are laughing up a storm. From the PDF, it sounds like there's slack in the cable. Where did you get the PDF?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Grinding Gears

3yrs is a long time for a cable if the boat stays in the water year round, it could be ready for one.

 

[Tom P]

Re: Grinding Gears

I live in New Jersey. The boat is in the water from May through October.

Tom