Shifting question

[model14]

Gear shifting works perfectly when boat is on the trailer and the garden hose is hooked up. Neutral is in the control detent where it should be. Put the boat in the water and neutral occurs out of the detent toward reverse. Going from forward to reverser or visa versa, neutral is in back of the detent. Obviously the gears are under load in the water, so that is different than when on the trailer, but why a change where neutral occurs?

 

[bspeth]

Re: Shifting question

did you do any work on it recently?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Shifting question

Your lower shift cable is likely failing.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Shifting question

Alpha drive? I assume it is. Thinking it's just an adjustment issue. Out of water, the shift interrupt never comes into play so it will go into neutral with less tension/pressure on the shift cable. In water, the load on the prop prevents the drive from going into neutral until there's enough tension/pressure in the shift cable to trigger the shift interrupt. Since the problem errs toward reverse, I suspect there's not enough extension on the remote control shift cable the You may just need to adjust the barrel on the remote control cable to make the sheath effectively shorter which makes the cable effectively longer.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Shifting question

If the place where neutral is moving around, its not an adjustment issue. You can adjust it and then it will move again. Been there done that with a cable that is failing.

 

[Fun Times]

Re: Shifting question

Have a look back at Model14's past started threads, there are many shifting issues he has recently went through including using what looks to be a volvo shift control unit.

Anyone of the problems mentioned by everyone above are suspected at this point not knowing if he has followed the lengthy shift cable adjuadjustments found in the service manual. If he has not applied any load to the propeller during the adjustment procedure, then that could be one of many theories that could be happing here.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Shifting question

Yep, just looked at his other post. A worn control box could make cause this exact issue as well. On an OMC Cobra that I had, the control had so much lost motion in it from wear and poor design that it was tough to keep the adjustment in one spot. Another thing I learned was to support the **** cable from the control back to the engine. The cable moving around can account for a lot of lost motion.

The OP should have added this question to his original post and we wouldn't be having all these conversations again.

 

[model14]

Re: Shifting question

There is no question the neutral is moving around. Based on what I said in my other thread, it was where it was supposed to be the first time I put it in the water. Now after several trips it has started moving back outside the detent. Out of the water it is back where it is supposed to be. It obviously must have to do with load on the gear and dog when in the water. What I need to do is take someone aboard with me in the water to do the shifting while I observe what is happening under the motor box. Thanks for the suggestions as to the problem causing this.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Shifting question

Would be interesting to have someone hold the shift cable at the engine(engine not running) so that it doesn't move and see how much you can move the console lever back and forth to see how much lost motion you are experiencing.

 

[thumpar]

Re: Shifting question

With the engine off you can also watch when the shift interrupt switch is activated. The clutch dogs lock together under the power of the motor. It comes out of gear when the shift interrupt switch is activated or at least that is how it is supposed to work. Without things within spec the things that happen at the same time can't.