neutral tends to slip into gear for a split second at a time (1955 Evi 25HP Big Twin)

[blinga]

Hello
This is my first boat (1954 Feathercratf Deluxe Runabout) and the engine is a 1955 Evinrude big Twin 25HP. When in neutral, it sometimes goes into gear for a split second. This is more pronounced at higher RPM, like when adjusting the carb while running in a tank. I want to clear this up before bringing the family on board again
I tried to adjust the shifting lever on the starbord side of the powerhead (a bolt and a screw) but without success. I'd rather open the lower gearcase as a last resort to check the clutch dog. I assume the shifting rod connection in the middle of the lower unit might be the problem. What do you guys think?

GB

 

[oldboat1]

potential resource info: http://www.fiberglassics.com/wiki/images/a/a7/Evinrudeservice002.pdf . If the '55 has the brass connector between upper and lower shift rods, there can be an issue in reassembly after water pump work. The bolt has to pass through the indentation in the shift rod, or shifting will be affected. (The clamp can grip the tip of the rod giving a false impression that it is assembled correctly.)

Any pics of your Feathercraft?

 

[Evinrude57]

I know on the smaller ones pretty muvh all of the adjustment is done at the handle there. Sometimes if you do not have the coupler connecting the lower and upper drive shafts fastened correctly it can cause alignment issues.

 

[F_R]

No Title

Are you sure it is slipping into gear? That's unusual. We hear lots of stories about them slipping OUT of gear. I suspect you are hearing a lean sneeze. And what are you doing, revving it up in neutral anyway? To do anything meaningful, carburetor adjustments must be done in gear, on a boat, on the lake. Anything else, you are just fooling yourself.

BTW, if you can't adjust the mixture to stop the lean sneeze, you may have another, more serious problem. Post the complete model/serial number for an explanation.

Finally, one last comment. Have you looked at the ignition system? Unless they have already been replaced, that motor has bad (cracked) coils. You can see them by removing the recoil starter and then the thin cover off the flywheel.

 

[lindy46]

With the motor NOT running and with the shift lever in neutral, the prop should spin freely. If it catches at all, the shift rods most likely are not properly positioned in the coupler.

 

[oldboat1]

^^good advice for testing. If no shifting/gear issues, would point to a lean sneeze like F_R suggests.

 

[blinga]

Thanks guys for the feedback:
Oldboat: thanks for the link. I had a different one but it is now broken and could not get this info anylonger. Now the pdf is safely saved on computer. This is great, in particular as I started rebuilding the carb today and found a very nasty cork float today, and some parts that don't even seem to belong in there. Moving to a polyurethane one

I have not yet checked the coupler yet but will do so next.


F_R: It really does get into gear. previous owner warned me as well. I don't have have to rev it up much in neutral, the controls would not let me anyway, it is more a trend where higher rpm makes it happen more often. BTW, as I have a few other issues with carb, I'm simply trying to get the motor running OK in tank. Then I'll take it to the river for real adjustments because it was impossible to paddle this feathercraft to the launch when the motor died on me last time.
I believe the coils have been replaced by previous owner but that is good advice to check. I had the motor running fine for a day then everything went south. quickly. Regarding the lean sneeze, I think I need to reassess once the carb is rebuilt.

SN: 25916-10114
1954 25014 25015 25916 25917
Lindy: The prop does spin freely in Neutral


I'll be out of town for a couple of weeks. Will keep you posted once I get the carb kit and look at the coupler.

BTW, this is my first experience with a 2 strokes so I have little reference point but I get a fair amount of unburnt oil leaking down inside the driveshaft housing (clearly above the gearcase). Would that support any of your hypothesis?

 

[blinga]

Thanks guys for the feedback:
Oldboat: thanks for the link. I had a different one but it is now broken and could not get this info anylonger. Now the pdf is safely saved on computer. This is great, in particular as I started rebuilding the carb today and found a very nasty cork float today, and some parts that don't even seem to belong in there. Moving to a polyurethane one

I have not yet checked the coupler yet but will do so next.


F_R: It really does get into gear. previous owner warned me as well. I don't have have to rev it up much in neutral, the controls would not let me anyway, it is more a trend where higher rpm makes it happen more often. BTW, as I have a few other issues with carb, I'm simply trying to get the motor running OK in tank. Then I'll take it to the river for real adjustments because it was impossible to paddle this feathercraft to the launch when the motor died on me last time.
I believe the coils have been replaced by previous owner but that is good advice to check. I had the motor running fine for a day then everything went south. quickly. Regarding the lean sneeze, I think I need to reassess once the carb is rebuilt.

SN: 25916-10114
1954 25014 25015 25916 25917
Lindy: The prop does spin freely in Neutral

I'll be out of town for a couple of weeks. Will keep you posted once I get the carb kit and look at the coupler

BTW, this is my first experience with a 2 strokes so I have little reference point but I get a fair amount of unburnt oil leaking down inside the driveshaft housing (clearly above the gearcase). Would that support any of your hypothesis?

 

[oldboat1]

blinga -- when you get back to it: Think passing the Lindy test points toward ignition or carb adjustment like F_R suggests. (Try shifting F and R with the engine off, just to be sure -- may have to rotate the prop a little to get the gears to mesh, as you probably know.) Also, might need to tweak your adjustments to the shift lever. Think I recall seeing some brief instruction for that in the Fiberglassics link, but not sure.