Shift rod sitting too low

[SSTKO81]

Good morning sailors! I've got my boat just about ready for her first summer outing, but I'm trying to solve one more mystery. I had replaced the lower shift cable and bellows and put everything back together and it seemed to be working well EXCEPT that it was getting stuck in forward gear. Come to find out the shift rod was not being properly engaged/disengaged because it wasn't sitting up correctly in the shoe; its too low. I used some stainless wire to couple the two pieces together (at least for now) and that allowed me to properly set up my shift cable and confirm everything else is working. My question is why would the shift rod suddenly be setting down in the drive and not be engaging? (upper and lower have not been separated) I also noticed that when running on the muffs there is a pretty good trickle of water coming up around the shift rod. Is that normal? Thanks for any help! ((THIS IS AN '81 ALPHA ON A 140 BTW))

 

[Rick Stephens]

You left the washer off the lower shift shaft when you reassembled the drives.

 

[SSTKO81]

You left the washer off the lower shift shaft when you reassembled the drives.

Its been several years since I've had the halve apart.... I'm sure it's about due for a new impeller. Do you happen to know it that part comes with an impeller kit.?

 

[Rick Stephens]

It does not come in the kit. Needs a thin stainless washer - get one at local hardware.

 

[SSTKO81]

It does not come in the kit. Needs a thin stainless washer - get one at local hardware.

GREAT. Good thinking! thanks for your help

And as far as the water coming up around the shaft? Normal operation?

 

[Rick Stephens]

The brass intermediate shift shaft doesn't have any connection to an oil contained area of the drive, and the underside of that part of the drive is in the water/exhaust area. Not going to matter a little cooling water under pressure from exhaust trickles out..