Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

[Forgotten]

Hey guys, I've got a problem. Last week I was out on the lake, I was just going along and then I heard what sounded like a box of gravel being shaken coming from my motor. After getting towed back, I think the problem lies in the lower unit or possibly a shift cable problem from what I've been reading. After spinning the prop back and forth on the trailer, it seemed like after a few turns of the propeller, gear would engage. I put it back in the water, and the gravel sound came back, but only at about half the speed as before.

Yesterday I drained the gear lube and some grey, pasty looking stuff came out along with the oil. Now when I put it in forward gear, I can't get forward to catch, just spins freely, and when I spin the prop the opposite direction (while still in forward) I hear kind of a ratcheting sound. There wasn't anymore metal filings on the magnet than usual.

Can somebody please help me diagnose the problem?

Thanks

 

[magnumdeke]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

sound like you are going to have to take the lower off and tear it down to diagnose further, somethings coming apart in side, thats the best I got. shop manual will be your friend or a good outboard mechanic! Good luck

 

[Forgotten]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

Ok, thats what I was afraid of, but since there wasn't many metal shavings on the magnet I wasn't so sure that it couldn't be a cable problem. Now I just have to find that misplaced manual.

Thanks

 

[boobie]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

Tear it down........

 

[Forgotten]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

Ok, before I tear it down, I pulled off the shift cable, and if I shift it by hand all the way forward or all the way reverse everything is locked up and turning the propeller turns the motor over, could it be a cable problem?

 

[Forgotten]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

Oh, and middle is neutral and everything spins fine. When I manually shift it into forward or reverse, turning the propeller counter clockwise or clockwise in either gear you can hear the motor turning

 

[boobie]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

What gets me is " the box of gravel sound ". Start it up on some muffs and see if it's still there or take it to the lake.

 

[boobie]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

O' Yeah, could the sound be coming from the power head ? Did you pull the prop and check in that area ?

 

[Forgotten]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

Got it figured out, its a cable problem. I guess the box of gravel sound was the gears grinding because it wasn't fully in gear. The nut may have vibrated loose or something, but I topped it off with fluid and started it up and shifting it by hand everything seems in order and no more funny noises. I think I will replace the cable though because before it was making noises in forward and reverse. Anyone know where a good place is to get a new shift cable?

Thanks for all your help it sure is a relief to know that it's not going to be a high dollar fix (or much work)

 

[boobie]

Re: Lower unit problem-1993 150 Spitfire

You can get a new cable right here on I-Boats.