Hard shifting and starting

[bones774]

Since i brought my boat to the local marina and replaced the pump in the out drive shifting and starting have been stubborn. When going forward I have to pull the selector lever past neutral slightly into reverse to go into neutral and vice versa. It's also become stubborn to start, I have to have the selector lever at just the right point before i go into neutral for it to start, like an interuptor switch problem. Could both of these come about from an impeller change?

Also i noticed a black wire with ring terminal just hanging loose in engine bay, I followed it to the connector plug mounted on the port side riser, it is the bottom wire of the connector? any help please.
Thanks

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: Hard shifting and starting

Sounds like they incorrectly adjusted your shift cable when reinstalling it. That would explain why it has to be slightly in reverse to go into neutral. As for starting, you have a neutral safety switch in your controller that prevents starting the engine while you are in gear (either fwd or rev). Since the controller has to be out of neutral detent for the drive to be in neutral, this will make starting difficult since the controller is not in neutral. Get the shift cable adjusted correctly and I bet both problems go away.

 

[bones774]

Re: Hard shifting and starting

Sounds like they incorrectly adjusted your shift cable when reinstalling it. That would explain why it has to be slightly in reverse to go into neutral. As for starting, you have a neutral safety switch in your controller that prevents starting the engine while you are in gear (either fwd or rev). Since the controller has to be out of neutral detent for the drive to be in neutral, this will make starting difficult since the controller is not in neutral. Get the shift cable adjusted correctly and I bet both problems go away.

That is what i was thinking, but should my shift cable even be touched to do the lower unit impeller pump? Now i'm hesitant to go back to them. I would like to adjust myself.

 

[Dogdave]

Re: Hard shifting and starting

I have a 79 searay with a 260 merc. I have rebuilt the boat and just put it in the water, I had the same issue you are explaining. i had to adjust the shift interupter ball with neadle nose plyers to get it to cut the engine at the right time to allow the drive to shift without having to over compensate with the controller

 

[Speed1v8]

Re: Hard shifting and starting

Adjust it were throddle connects. If you didn't touch interrupter switch, than it should be same settings. adjust by the throddle and loosen it lil at time till you feel it right. That's what I did works like champ.

 

[bones774]

Re: Hard shifting and starting

Adjust it were throddle connects. If you didn't touch interrupter switch, than it should be same settings. adjust by the throddle and loosen it lil at time till you feel it right. That's what I did works like champ.

I didn't touch it at all, and wondering if the marina mechanic needed to touch it? Have to take a look now.

Anybody have an answer for the loose dangling black wire??
Thanks

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: Hard shifting and starting

Its impossible to say what your mechanic did or why, but if it started happening right after your mechanic got done with work back there, I'd be willing to bet a few bucks thats your problem. Unless he got in the boat and messed with your controller or shift interrupt which I doubt, save the time and check the more obvious scenario.

Pull off the cover and look at your shift mechanism on the drive. Have someone move the controller from neutral to fwd, back to neutral, to reverse, etc and watch what happens.

What engine and drive are we talking about here? Knowing the drive will help determine what your mechanic may have done and why, and knowing your engine's full model number can help determine what the black wire is for.

 

[series60]

Re: Hard shifting and starting

Also i noticed a black wire with ring terminal just hanging loose in engine bay, I followed it to the connector plug mounted on the port side riser, it is the bottom wire of the connector? any help please.
Thanks

Could you post a picture?