Can't shift into Neutral - HELP

wiredgizmo

Recruit
Joined
May 25, 2015
Messages
4
Hi, I have a big problem and looking for any help!

Not mechanically inclined at all so please excuse any bad descriptions here.

I just purchased a boat. 02 Chaparral 220 ssi with a Volvo Penta 5.0 GL. Not certain what drive it is, but is is duoprop F 4. Boat drove fine when I went to purchased it. Few days after purchase, lunching boat, I felt shifting from forward to reverse was pretty stiff, but didn't think much about it. After a 10min drive and going to beach it, I realized I couldn't get it into neutral/reverse.

Did some quick research and read somewhere to have someone spin the prop while trying to shift. It worked somewhat, I can get it back into neutral with the boat off. Once I turn the engine on, I can either go into forward or reverse, but it won't go back into neutral afterwards. So if I decide to go forward, I can, but I can't get it back to neutral, I can get it to be really slow though.
Same for reverse, I would turn off the engine, do the spin prop/jerk throttle back and forth until it goes to neutral. Then shift to reverse and it drives fine in reverse, I just can't get it back to neutral/forward.

After doing the spin prop/jerk throttle to neutral, I can press the button to go back and forth in neutral fine.

I took it to a shop and they checked the drive oil and said its kind of low and most likely the problem. The problem is, they can not remove the inner (forward?) prop. They said they sprayed it with a lot of carb clearns and such and tried prop puller and still can't do it. The last resort now is to cut the inner prop and replace it.

My concern is, is it the gear oil that is the problem? New forward prop is $700+ and labor is another $700, I don't want to go through it if it is not certain it is the problem. Any help and suggestions is greatly appreciated.
 

Horigan

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
709
The stuck prop and shifting issue are separate issues. I would fill the drive with the right amount of oil and check operation. If you don't know when the oil was changed, I would put in fresh oil. That will certainly help if it's old oil.

For the prop, try some penetrating oil for a day or two and retry removal. Once removed, grease annually. You can live with a stuck prop, until you need to replace it due to damage or want to change it for other performance reasons.
 

wiredgizmo

Recruit
Joined
May 25, 2015
Messages
4
The problem here is the props need to be removed to change the oil. The oil drain plug is behind the props. The dipstick is accessible without removing the props, will topping up oil there work? Just to see if fresh oil will fix the shifting issue.
The shop mechanic said he asked Volvo about the problem and they told him its generally old oil that is causing this problem.
 

Fishhead-1

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 10, 2003
Messages
110
Stiff shifting may be just a bad cable. Try removing the cover on outdrive and disconnect cable at shift lever and try shifting by hand engine not running.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,614
Tilt drive up and start putting Kroil on it every night for a week.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
51,220
Shame on you for not thoroughly doing all maintenance on a nee to you used boat prior to launching

I also recommend kroil by kano labs. Use a deadblow hammer to tap the prop as well. Or spend $618 on a new prop and cut off the old one

Then use prop grease to prevent stuck props going forward
 
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