Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

[Jshv420]

I recently purchased a 94 Bayliner Capri Mercruiser 3.0 with an Alpha 1 Gen 2 Outdrive. The previous owner said there "might" be lower unit problems but he wasn't sure. I drained the LU oil and replaced. I then changed the impeller and thats when I noticed something different. Today I tried to put it in forward gear and nothing happend. I then put it in neutral and spun the prop, it spun freely. I put it in forward and spun it again. It won't go one direction and when it goes the other there is a slight click. Is this the impeller or does anyone know if it could be something worse. Before the impeller and oil change, the prop would spin one direction freely without any clicking. There were no metal shavings in the oil and when put in forward and reverse prop will only spin one direction.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

The lower cable ether needs adjusting/replacing.

If you can't get it adjusted right, than a new cable is in your future.

My money is on you needing a new cable.

 

[Jshv420]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

I'll look into your advice. This is my first boat so I'm pretty ignorant but I've read about a million forums to try and learn from others.

 

[Don S]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

When you changed the impeller, did you remove the drive from the boat, or just the lower from the upper. Was things in forward when you removed it, and was the lower/upper in forward gear position when you put it back together?

I know you have read a million forums, but how about the OEM service manual?

 

[Don S]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

Here's a link to the OEM manual.

http://www-alt.mercurymarine.com/mnetdata/SERVICE/CRUISER/Servmanl/14/14cover.pdf

 

[Jshv420]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

I worked on it with a guy who has had boats in the past. Took the lower from the upper and left in neutral. Replaced the impeller and then left it in neutral to put back in. Moved slightly forward and aft to get lower spline back into upper drive. Could this have moved the gearing?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

just read the oem manual for reassembly, which ya now got a link to. ya won't go wrong... w/o looking, i'd guess it'll be reassembled in fwd... that way ya know where everything is at... if it says something different than that. do what the service manual says.... after all, it is the oem explaining to you as to how to do the repair....

 

[Don S]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

I worked on it with a guy who has had boats in the past.

I have flown on an airplane, but that doesn't make me a pilot. Owning boats in the past, does not make you a mechanic either.

 

[Jshv420]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

I'll check out the manual and see if we can't get her figured out. Thanks for all your responses. Hope its only that.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

Mercs need to be put in forward gear to remove the drive.

There again i made the fatal mistake of assuming you had read the manual.

I'll never do it again.

Some people say i treat them like babies when i go over the most basic things.

Well i'll give them this post to see why.

 

[Jshv420]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

Any problems since we didn't? Can I just remove the lower unit and then put in Forward or should I put in forward, remove then re-attach?

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

See if it comes out easy.

And see if you bent or broke anything.

If not put it in forward and hook it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

Any problems since we didn't?

Ayuh,... There'll be shifting issues, if by chance everything wasn't Exactly lined up...
Moving the shifter to Forward,+ aligning the lower unit's shift linkages to Forward makes Sure everything is Exactly lined up....

Btw,...
If everythng is doing what it Should be doing,...
The prop should spin, by hand, in Neutral with No sounds...
In Forward, the prop should Not turn in 1 direction,+ spin, with clicking in the other direction...
In Reverse, it should do the same as in Forward,.. Only in the opposite directions...

 

[Jshv420]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

I think I might take this somewhere to have them look at it. Everything does what you say. It spins fine in neutral, one way and with click in forward and vice versa for reverse. I wasn't sure if the clicking was good though, that was my question. Before I changed impeller, there was no clicking.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

I wasn't sure if the clicking was good though, that was my question. Before I changed impeller, there was no clicking.

Ayuh,.... Not clicking is Abnormal......

Maybe you should go,+ play the Lottery tonight....

I think I might take this somewhere to have them look at it.

Or just go Try it....

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

play the lottery ha.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

Like Bondo said, the clicking is normal. Hook the hose to it and fire it up.

 

[Jshv420]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

Thats the problem. I hooked up the hose and no water is flowing from lower unit to engine. Also when I put in gear, the prop won't turn. I think the cable might have something to do with it as it seems to be looping down and seems to be loose. I have taken off all hoses and there are no clogs. Ran air from engine hose that brings in water from lower unit and it looked like it ran through. This is why I was wondering if there is some reason why the impeller is not turning. Any ideas are much appreciated unless they say, READ THE BOOK.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

I hooked up the hose and no water is flowing from lower unit to engine. Also when I put in gear, the prop won't turn.

Ayuh,.... With the motor Running,..??

It sounds like you screwed something up when you had the lower unit off...

 

[ziggy]

Re: Prop/Lower Unit Click Issue

did ya put the key that locks the impeller to the drive shaft in place during reassembly?

have you diconnected the shift cable from the shift plate and operated the shift cable by hand. should be nice and smooth....

again, when in
fwd= prop locked ccw, clicks like a ratchet cw
neutral= prop freewheels either direction
rev= prop locked cw, clicks like a ratchet ccw
if the prop won't turn at all when in gear.... something is amiss, and since ya had the lower off. that might be a good place to start. though i must say, i've no idea what would cause the prop to not turn at all short of something seriously wrong inside the drive itself.. like gears all broke up or something... but since ya had no metal fragments in the gear lub when drained........ ?

as for the looping down cable. the sm will have a pic of the proper routing of the shift cable... only read that sm if ya wanna know the facts per mercruiser... personally, i consider my mercruiser service manual the bible, i read it over and over before i attempt any repair (and i'll still get it wrong,..)... then i ask questions for the things that i don't understand.... but that's me.. to each his own....