'76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

[REPTAR]

Hey. I'm new to boat ownership and this is my first post on the site. Here's the deal: This boat was given to us last winter by a friend after he parked this one for about 11 years. Before parking it, he had the motor rebuilt...don't know about the outdrive. Mechanically, the boat looks great. We had it in the shop once or twice and everything was double-checked and OK'd. We've taken it out maybe 6 or 7 times this summer without an issue...mechanically speaking...until this past weekend. While running at WOT, the boat suddenly shifted into neutral. After not being able to get it into gear, we got towed in so we could avoid damaging anything else. We ran the boat at home and the same thing is happening (no "clunk" or prop movement when shifted into either forward or reverse). I am hoping the problem is something with the shifter up at the helm or a wiring issue and not something wrong with the outdrive. Any ideas or tests I could run?

Thanks, Matt

P.S. There haven't been any grinding or "ugly" sounds, even when this happened on the lake, if that helps at all.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

Most likely? Stripped water pump shaft in the upper gear case. As that shaft turns 24/7, the water pump would quit pump pumping as well and the motor would soon start to overheat.

Another possibiliy would be the fine spline coupler and drive shaft. I would have hoped if they had the motor out they would have checked that before reinstalling, but did they? You could crank the engine and see if the ball gears turn. If not, there is you problem.

There are electrical test to confirm that you are sending juice down to the outdrive but you'd need the manual for that info.

 

[REPTAR]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

Hmmm, I'm an amateur mechanic on motors but I'm not so hot on outdrives yet so let me get this straight...the water pump shaft is also the same shaft that is used to turn to propeller? It makes sense to me...just making sure. I have a couple of manuals at home so I'll take a look at those. I'll check the ball gears tonight and if they are turning, I'll throw the boat in a tank and test the pump. Do you think something could be wrong with the electric shift or would that make some nasty noises?

Thanks

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

I'll throw the boat in a tank and test the pump.

yep - that will tell you if the w/p shaft is turning - was it overheating after propulsion stopped?

Do you think something could be wrong with the electric shift or would that make some nasty noises?

A wire could fall off. There would be no noise.

 

[REPTAR]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

We didn't run it long enough after it happened to notice if it was overheating or not. Dealing with the electronic shift, I mean if something were to have busted say within the lower gearbox, would it try to shift and would I hear grinding or would it also be silent? Just trying to elininate some variables.

Thanks

 

[WizeOne]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

YaBut Bubba, when the forward clutch spring goes, it does not take the reverse clutch spring with it.

 

[REPTAR]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

Hmmm...let me check on those items and I'll get back to you. Thanks

 

[REPTAR]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

Tonight I checked the ball gears first and they are turning fine so i put the outdrive in a tub and water tested it and I didn't get an ounce of water up to the motor, leading me to beleive that the impeller isn't turning. Also, there is now an intermittent grinding/scraping sound coming from the upper sterndrive. This leads me to believe that the shaft is a goner. I may take a look at some of the other tests listed here but I'm pretty sure now that is the problem. I'll keep you posted on the final word.

Thanks

 

[WizeOne]

Re: '76 OMC Ford 302 V8 Won't Shift From Neutral

Yup, that sounds like it. That splined water pump shaft connection is a bit of a weak spot but it still probably lasted a good number of years. One of the reasons that the splines wear is because that connection does not receive continuous lubrication. It gets greased on installation and there is an oring on the male part that attemts to hold the lubrication in place but after years of service it dries out then whittles away at the splines.

In the end, the water pump shaft is really no more tender than a pile of gimbal bearings, reverse lockout switches, hydraulic pumps, shift cable bellows, puny little water pump impellers, exhaust bellows, U-joints and bellows, lower shift cables, etc, adnauseum.

They all require some repair and mantainance along the way.