Pre alpha - Cant get reverse no matter what I do.

[Rake722]

Help required in a last stitch attempt to fix this boat please.

So, recently it becomes hard to get reverse. Symptoms are as follows -

Shifting from forward to Neutral - remains in gear till I pull the control a little into reverse past the notch then it shifts to neutral and I notch it again.
Shifting from Neutral to reverse - I hear the dogs clattering but not engagement - occasionally it does engage but more often it wont.

I have tried adjusting the cables to no avail.
I though the shift shaft was a spline out as I dropped the lower box to replace the water pump so to correct this possibility I dropped the lower again. used the shift shaft to get reverse, locked the prop and then I set the control lever to reverse too before replacing the lower unit thus ensuring reverse was splined correctly.

Guess what ? Same symptoms as before - no change.

If I use the shift shaft I can get reverse but not at all when the lower unit is connected to the upper.

I checked the shift mech in the upper for slop and there is a bit present like in this image (not mine)


http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/oldnewenglandmarine/2011-07-03_152331_alpha.jpg

It just seems like the shift lever needs a few more mm movement to get that reverse as if I push the lower unit lever with a driver it engages but the upper unit lever (female part) doesnt travel far enough to engage it.

As far as control cable adjustment the shift plate stud that goes in the slotted hole is at the top already - no more adjustment.

With the drive unit cable disconnected from the shift plate I pull and I cannot get reverse to engage though.

Any help most welcome, is this a cable / adjustment issue or is the drive worn ?

Kind regards

Ron.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Unless you've already installed a New lower shift cable, I'm thinkin', that's where yer gonna be soon,....

The inner cable wears a groove in the outer casin', causin' a loss of travel, sounds like you've used it all up,....

 

[Rake722]

Interesting Bondo, thanks for the reply.
When I bought her she had new sift cables fitted and has only had 20 hrs use since then. Lets assume its not the cable, where do I go from there ?

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Just to confirm...

You just dropped the lower down and the upper is still on the boat? While in forward the upper shift shaft is straight front to back?

your twisting the splined lower shift shaft of the lower unit Clockwise and rotating the propshaft CCW and holding it there the entier time you mate the drive halves together, and the while the lower is in forward the shift shaft in the upper is straight ahead fore and aft.

If that's all correct... have you pulled the upper off the bellhousing and checked for crud in the shift cable cavity that could build up and stop the cable from being pulled fully into reverse?

 

[Rake722]

Hi Eric, I dropped the lower with the upper still on the boat yes, turned the shift shaft clockwise and held the prop clock wise looking at the prop from the rear of the boat. There was resistance in the clockwise direction on the prop and racheting in the CCW direction. If I let the prop go the shift shaft would return to N on its own.

I did this to ensure it went together in reverse thus making sure it was not a spline out on the shift shaft female coupler.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Help required in a last stitch attempt to fix this boat please.

So, recently it becomes hard to get reverse.

Are we to assume it did work correctly at some point and not reverse is not there?

 

[achris]

2 questions.

Which 'pre-alpha' (there are 17 drives that match that description)?
Have you checked the shift interrupt switch (if it's a drive that has one)?

Chris.........

 

[Rake722]

Hi achris, Yes reverse was there before.

Actions performed since it last worked include -

1) Removed drive unit to service pater pickup pipe between transom and leg (Yes I did disconnect the shift cable from the shift plate end by removing the lock screw on the plastic sheath that connects to the sift plate) I did not do any adjustments when reconnecting and assumed it would not require edjustment.

2) Numerous water pump services by dropping only the lower unit.

Since these actions selecting reverse became hit and miss.
Another point to note is the to get neutral I have to pull the control back past the neutral notch on the mercontrol unit to get her to go to N. I dont know if this is significant.

Drive type - Early MR1 - there is no serial number on the drive it has been worn off. It is the type with the pre load pin in the drive shaft and rounded cavitation plate.

 

[achris]

Pre-load pin and rounded cav plate says MC-1. MR has no pin.

Question. Why did you remove the locking screws on the lower shift cable end guide? When removing the drive ALL you need to do is put it in forward. Since the position of the guide on the cable IS critical to the adjustment, I suggest you need to set it all up again. Your symptoms are very much an out of adjustment cable (and removing the guide explains why)....

Chris......

 

[Rake722]

Hi achris, many thanks for this reply.

I removed the guide as I needed to remove the bell housing and shift cable to get access to the water pickup pipe and try to install new trim switches. The shifter end was too coroded to remove so ended up undoing the shift plate end and drawing the cable through.

I do hope it is the reason and will have to find a guide on how to set it up correctly again.
If anyone knows of which guide to use I would appreciate a link.

Many thanks again.

Ron

 

[Rake722]

I found this guide -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s_tgevX2aI

on this thread - http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...hift-cable-adjustment-page-number-in-manual-1

Hope this is relevant.

I have done the lower shift adjustment to 6 inches but not the upper cable so will do this and report back.

Many thanks

Ron.

 

[Bt Doctur]

with the black plastic part correctly installed you will see the end of the cable core in the inspection hole, then tighten the screws.
A couple if things to check are:
is the shift cable installed all the way into the housing. the nut should almost be flush with the housing.
corrosion on the lower splined shaft , corrosion here will allow movement in the upper brass shoe.
is there a small black wheel on the shift arm,
Another item is a worn shift spool in the lower unit
page 1C-40 http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6C1R3.PDF