Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Good day and would greatly appreciate any input! I've searched this forum and have found similar examples of my problem, but not exactly the same. I have an 89' Stingray w/ 350/Alpha One. I was pulling a tube w/ almost max. capacity on board when at about 1/2 throttle the boat lost forward gear and we came to a stop. Someone claimed to have heard some type of noise prior to dropping off, though they couldn't exactly describe it. I've had a recent problem w/ shifting into reverse but is corrected w/ adjustment of the barrel-nut @ the engine(interrupter switch). When put into forward, the rpm's shoot up but no engagement or forward motion- same in reverse. Motor starts and runs just fine. Would the added stress of extra weight and heavy throttle use(slowing down, speeding up) be an issue? Throttle movement both forward and reverse does produce movement @ the cable drive on top of motor. I've removed the lower cable @ the motor and pulled and pushed by hand w/ the motor both on and off and in and out of gear @ the controls-it moves freely but does not make any noise @ the outdrive. Prior to this happening, it engaged very nicely w/ no grinding or clunking. Anyhoo, we were towed back to the marina and I'll be pulling it out of the water tomorrow. Sorry such a long question but wanted to be descriptive- Will more than likely have to take it to the local mechanic but would like to have some idea what to expect!!

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

when running on muffs, does it overheat?
Yes: engine coupler bad,upper gears melted from lack of oil, Broken shaft above the water pump.
No: broken shaft below the water pump.

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

No need to go overheating the engine in order to check that out. If the engine is running, and the drive's input shaft isn't spinning with the engine, the coupler's gone...

If it's spinning, it's time to pull the drive and go from there.

Don't cause yourself even more problems by possibly over-heating your engine.

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Just a thought but could it be the button on the throttle that keeps it in nutral some times it can be the simplest things that we over look not likley but worth looking at

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Did you check to see if you spun the prop hub?

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Bt Doctur said:

when running on muffs, does it overheat?
Yes: engine coupler bad,upper gears melted from lack of oil, Broken shaft above the water pump.
No: broken shaft below the water pump.

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Hello folks, I'm a total newbie to the site but been boating for 12 years.

This is a long post....

Boat: 1996 Sea Ray 175XL with 4.3 Alpha I Gen II

I thought about posting a new thread with the problem I 'm having, but the thread starter just described the exact issue I had Saturday.

I can add a couple if things: The boat had sat since last fall after being winterized. I had taken it out back in June after un-winterizing. This always involves checking all fluids, putting the plugs back in the block, blah, blah blah. That trip was uneventful.

This past Saturday we headed out after again checking all the normal stuff. About 20 minutes into the trip I noticed the boat seemed to have lost a bit of power so I played with the trim a bit. About 5 minutes later, without warning the engine went to red line and all forward motion ceased. I throttled down immediately, popped the hood to make sure the engine had not had some horrible failure, jumped in the lake to check for a missing or spun prop (still there and not spun). The stern drive was not hot at all.

Back in the engine compartment I then noticed the stern drive oil reservoir was empty... Not good. Looked to see if we had an oil slick behind us and there was not a sign of oil. The engine restarted easily, but putting it into forward or reverse, the prop did not spin. Also no grinding but there was odd whining noise I had not heard before.

We had to be towed back to the marina. I took the boat back home, lowered the stern drive, popped it into forward and spun the prop by hand. It turned easily, but there was an odd thumping noise from the upper unit. Reverse produced the same results.

So... I searched here and on other forums and it seems that there are a lot of special tools needed to do this job properly. I'm a good auto mechanic, have plenty of tools and a shop press. Can I do this myself without all the special tools or am I best served by letting a dealer do it?

IF I bought a complete stern drive could I pull and replace the whole thing by myself?

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

When the engine was running, was the input shaft to the drive spinning with the engine? You may have toasted the coupler. How do the splines on the drive look?

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Uraijit said:

When the engine was running, was the input shaft to the drive spinning with the engine? You may have toasted the coupler. How do the splines on the drive look?

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To be honest I just don't know :redface:. We were headed home (the boat is kept at our lake home more than 100 miles away) and I just did not have the time that day to research this further. I read about the possible overheating issue from the lower unit not running the pump, but I guess I can check to see if it's spinning quickly to avoid the overheating issue on our next trip down.

Regardless of the coupler state, isn't my real issue the oil that disappeared? Of course if the coupler is stripped that will have to be addressed as well...

I always start the boat and let it warm to operating temps in the driveway before launching. (Ramp is 500 yards from the house) I checked the place where I start the boat with muffs to see if there was any evidence of oil on the ground, there was not. Nor was there any sign of oil where I park it. The oil reserve tank was full when we left.

The man that towed me home said that an internal seal may have failed and it allowed all the oil to be blown out the hub roasting some gears?

Just so you know, I have never had a stern unit apart so if I use an improper term please correct me!

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Would like to thank everyone for their replies- has been a great help. Went to the marina last night and found the drive shaft to be spinning when I started the boat. It does not overheat and when we spun the prop to check for gear engagement, it locks into forward and reverse as well as free-spins in neutral. I'm now thinking it must be the u joint @ the outdrive. Am going to take it to a local reputable mechanic for repairs as I've never removed an outdrive. It sucks cause I know u joints are easy to change, but I don't wanna screw anything else up!!! Thanks again for everyone's input!!!!!

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

bigred1 said:

................... It does not overheat and when we spun the prop to check for gear engagement, it locks into forward and reverse as well as free-spins in neutral. I'm now thinking it must be the u joint @ the outdrive. ....................

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It's not the u-joints if the prop locks as you describe.............and if the input shaft turns its not the coupler...............I'd check for a spun prop hub.

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

sounds like a spun hub in your prop.

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Could very well still be a spun coupler as there no load on it when out of the water

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

Thanks again for everyones help- we pulled the boat out of the water yesterday to check for a spun hub. That doesn't seem to be the problem as the prop locks in forward gear and ratchets while spinning in the opposite direction. But in reverse, it clunks instead of ratcheting. The clunking sound seems to be coming from where the upper and the lower of the outdrive meet. The mechanic drained the fluid and said it was very dark and very thin(water). He said the entire outdrive would have to be replaced, but I'm taking it to another mechanic on Saturday for a second opinion.

Re: Alpha 1 won't shift into forward or reverse

He said the entire outdrive would have to be replaced,

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Ayuh,....

With those SEI drives,.... That's the Cheaper alternative nowadays.....