Should my prop make a ratcheting sound?

Joekeene

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Jul 26, 2015
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I think I have adjusted shift cable correctly ... When in forward gear it it locks and same for reverse and free spins in neutral ... But why is it making noise When turned in opposite directions.
 

GA_Boater

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May 24, 2011
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Welcome aboard.

Yes - It is normal to ratchet in one direction and lock in the other in forward. Free spinning in neutral and locked in both directions in reverse is correct.

Are you having any other problems?
 

Joekeene

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Jul 26, 2015
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Thank for that .. Just worried I didn't do it correctly. I had never spun the prop in forward or reverse before I replaced all these parts ... Bellows , shift cable and water pump ...
 

oldboat1

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Apr 3, 2002
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not sure I'm getting it, but ratcheting while shifting my outboards usually means I haven't snapped it into gear the way I should have.
 

Frank Acampora

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Jan 19, 2007
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It ratchets in one direction only because: The drive dogs on both the gears and dog clutch are tapered--like a saw tooth design-- to ease engagement. Thus when you turn the prop with the engine off, the drive dogs ride up over each other and drop down into the free space with a clicking sound.

If you do it slowly you can actually feel the resistance when riding up.
 

Chris1956

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Mar 25, 2004
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Older Mercs ratcheted when in forward and the prop was turned CW. In neutral, the prop spun freely in both directions, in reverse, the prop would turn less than 1/4 turn in either direction.

Newer Mercs ratchet CW when in forward and CCW when in reverse. In neutral, the prop will spin in both directions.

What motor do you have?
 

Chinewalker

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Aug 19, 2001
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I was told by someone many years back that the reason Mercs only did that in forward was for safety. If you slowed down quickly, or the motor stopped or seized up, a ratcheting prop would free spin, lowering drag. A prop that didn't spin would increase the drag and make the motor kick up. Mercury's tilt-lock disengaged in forward gear.
 

oldboat1

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the old dock busters -- was that still another gear design? (maybe that reverse rotation limit that Chris56 describes). not sure what the OP has, but guessing these features wold probably apply to mercruiser I/Os too, then, maybe older ones (?)
 
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thumpar

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Jun 21, 2007
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the old dock busters -- was that still another gear design? (maybe that reverse rotation limit that Chris56 describes). not sure what the OP has, but guessing these features wold probably apply to mercruiser I/Os too, then, maybe older ones (?)
It does apply to the Alpha drives but not the Bravos.
 

smokeonthewater

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Dec 3, 2009
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It's not a safety feature... It is a function of the design that lets the drive drop into gear without grinding.

The old dock busters didnt shift... They simply stopped the engine (and the prop) and restarted the engine running backwards... There was no neutral and no ratcheting.
 
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