alpha 1 shift problem

[skiMachine]

Hi all, I've got an '85 Merc 170 with an Alpha 1 outdrive. I spent the day today travelling the Intracoastal Waterway in NC for the first time. <br /><br />Anyway, being unfamiliar with the area, I missed a few buoys marking low areas and narrowly beached several times. In some places I had escape with the drive all the way up in the trailer position.<br /><br />When approaching the dock to come home, I found that the shift knob/lever/handle was tight moving from reverse to neutral. Up until today it's been a smooth operation; today, I had to use so much force I thought the handle would break. <br /><br />After getting home, I tried it again and the tightness is still there. Obviously, running aground those times has broken/bent/tweaked something. Any ideas on where to start looking?

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: alpha 1 shift problem

running aground is also very bad for your water pump impellor. its possible something could be lodged at the shift join between the lower and upper.<br />at the very least service your sea water pump.

 

[skiMachine]

Re: alpha 1 shift problem

Thanks for the tip. It's the second season for this impellor anyway, so it needed to be changed eventually. No time like the present, I guess. <br /><br />I'll pull the lower end this weekend and see what I find.