TreemanMI
Cadet
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2018
- Messages
- 6
I’ve scoured youtube and searched the forums far and wide but have yet to find any issues similar to mine....so here goes:
1988 v6 4.3l with alpha 1 gen 1 outdrive. Recently had block replaced due to cracked block from freeze damage by previous owner.
I’m in the engine break in period - about 4 hrs on the water without issues. Prior to it’s first time out with the new engine I replaced the water pump impeller after noticing no water pumping while on the muffs. It went back together without issue and shifting was never a problem.
Went to take the boat out of the water to do some interior cleaning Saturday and drove it to the launch without any issues - reversed out from dock then forward no problem and ran it around the lake for about 10 mins. Stopped at the launch and pulled the trailer into the water. Started her back up and when I went to go into reverse it starts clicking like it wants to go into gear but the dogs don’t catch. Tried going into forward and nothing happens...like it’s stuck in neutral. Engine RPMs rev up both attempting forward and reverse....but no engagement.
i watched the YouTube video on shift cable adjustment by Chris. Pulled the cables and with my friends help attempted to manually shift it while he spun the prop. Couldn’t get it to engage consistently in reverse and would not go into forward. Put it all back together and fired it up on the muffs so we could check timing, and just for giggles I tried to put it in forward and it instantly engaged!!!! Put it back to neutral and it stopped spinning. Tried reverse and the clicking started again and it wouldn’t go. Tried to go back to forward and nothing,,...like it was stuck in neutral again...
My question is where to start? Do I go straight to outdrive removal to check the cable/linkage pieces inside? All the posts I can find people are only having issues with reverse not fully engaging but forward still works... I’ve worked on dozens of outboards before but this is my first sterndrive so I appreciate any help
1988 v6 4.3l with alpha 1 gen 1 outdrive. Recently had block replaced due to cracked block from freeze damage by previous owner.
I’m in the engine break in period - about 4 hrs on the water without issues. Prior to it’s first time out with the new engine I replaced the water pump impeller after noticing no water pumping while on the muffs. It went back together without issue and shifting was never a problem.
Went to take the boat out of the water to do some interior cleaning Saturday and drove it to the launch without any issues - reversed out from dock then forward no problem and ran it around the lake for about 10 mins. Stopped at the launch and pulled the trailer into the water. Started her back up and when I went to go into reverse it starts clicking like it wants to go into gear but the dogs don’t catch. Tried going into forward and nothing happens...like it’s stuck in neutral. Engine RPMs rev up both attempting forward and reverse....but no engagement.
i watched the YouTube video on shift cable adjustment by Chris. Pulled the cables and with my friends help attempted to manually shift it while he spun the prop. Couldn’t get it to engage consistently in reverse and would not go into forward. Put it all back together and fired it up on the muffs so we could check timing, and just for giggles I tried to put it in forward and it instantly engaged!!!! Put it back to neutral and it stopped spinning. Tried reverse and the clicking started again and it wouldn’t go. Tried to go back to forward and nothing,,...like it was stuck in neutral again...
My question is where to start? Do I go straight to outdrive removal to check the cable/linkage pieces inside? All the posts I can find people are only having issues with reverse not fully engaging but forward still works... I’ve worked on dozens of outboards before but this is my first sterndrive so I appreciate any help
)
