out drive, how much grinding is normal?

[Hawk78]

I have a a pre alfa mercruiser drive with a mercruiser 260 5.7 litre. When I shift it in and out of forward and reverse out of the water there is some grinding before it clunks into gear. The idle is set at 500rpm trying to minimize this, is the grinding out of water a clue that the lower unit is going out? I would like any feed back on grinding issues so i know where I stand with this thing.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: out drive, how much grinding is normal?

Howdy,

There should be very little "grinding" if you shift it into gear "briskly"

it should be more of a "clunk"

DO NOT "ease" it (or any dog-clutch drive) into gear.


Cheers,


Rick

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: out drive, how much grinding is normal?

Thats pretty much normal with no load on the drive.
Shift with a brisk motion,do not try to ease it into gear.
If you set the idle at 500 with the boat out of the water it will be way to low once its in the water.

Dang Rick,beat me again buddy!

 

[knightowl]

Re: out drive, how much grinding is normal?

Ive got one of those alpha 1 drives SE 106. Had it for about 2-3 years, only about 8 times taken out to water.

Changed oil once, notice grinding chips... changed the oil went out on one quick trip, drained the oil noticed the chips again by the bolt magnate.

No unusual noise while changing gears or cruising speeds... Hear just the normal quick 1 second grind when shifting but that's gotta be the dog switch just like in any other boat sound. However the grinding noise is a little louder and just a hair longer when shifting to reverse. Maybe the drive hasn't been used much so its grinding its way to shape? Working it in? Or is it time for a new drive? Anybody else with the SE 106?

 

[knightowl]

Re: out drive, how much grinding is normal?

wow you guys are fast! HEHEHE thought i would be a second post on this thread... Just read your feedback's and learned something new. I do ease it into out of gear... Therefore might be the reason im getting chips and 1 second grinder noise..

So your saying when shifting, shift quickly? The reason i shift very slow is because im parking and don't want to mess up my speed of the boat by excidently hitting the throttle while shifting. So shift quick?

 

[Hawk78]

Re: out drive, how much grinding is normal?

Thanks for the feedback I usualy ease into gear for the same reason to stay out of the throttle but I will have to mess with my shifting technique.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: out drive, how much grinding is normal?

Yes, shift quickly into gear.
Figure out at what point on your lever the drive engages without really raising rpms. Then all you have to do is move the lever to that spot to engage the gears. You will get use to it and not even think about it after awhile of doing this.