Shifting question?

[sublauxation]

I hope the IBoats gods can forgive me for double posting but the only views on this in the steering section were mine: Any help would be appreciated as we're in a big push to finally get this on the water for Labor Day weekend!

I've been restoring all summer and starting to get things put together. A couple nights ago I tried out the controls and it wouldn't shift into Forward.

I took the cable off at the control and the shifter worked just fine.
I took the cable off at the engine and the shifter worked just fine.

I tried shifting the lever on the engine and it wouldn't shift.
I had my son turn the prop and magically everything worked just fine.
I put it all back together and everything worked just fine until my son tried it again last night, now it wont go into forward..
I've never had a problem shifting into reverse.

Is this some sort of problem or is it just that sometimes gears mesh perfectly wrong in an engine that isn't running?

It's an 07 ETEC with very few hours on it, I've had it since new and it hasn't been abused at all.

Thanks!

 

[Fed]

It's normal, don't try and shift unless the motor is running or someone is turning the prop by hand.

Is this some sort of problem or is it just that sometimes gears mesh perfectly wrong in an engine that isn't running?

That's the idea but it's the dog clutch that needs to mesh, Google some exploded gearbox images and you will see why.

 

[sublauxation]

Thanks for the info! After 2 1/2 years of rebuilding we're getting close to launching so the not shifting thing caused a pretty big panic initially, then more panic when we took the shift cables apart and it still didn't work. A moment to ponder, then spinning the prop eased my mind a bit but it's always nice to get confirmation

 

[Beagleville]

Perfectly normal. Enjoy the weekend.