3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

Y

yjm3

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I `was crusiing at 30 knots or so after a long day on the river in my 88 chriscraft 130hp, 3.0 merc with alpha1 sterdrive and it felt like the propellor came off. a resultant loss of power and no forward or reverse. boat starts perfect and runs well. i heard no noises when this happened, the prop spins freely without binding and is not stripped off the hub.

boat now out of the water after a $600 tow!

i am thinking the shift cable or something of that nature? i am new to boats and sterndrives.

ps my tirm pump happened to crap out earlier in the day! the loss of forward/reverse and the subsequent tow was the icing on the cake!

any help much appreciated,
Tom
 
Don S

Don S

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

Did it start overheating? May have lost the splines in the coupler. Look on the back of the engine where the shaft from the outdrive comes thru. Any metal savings?
 
Y

yjm3

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

no overheating. no metal shavings. no fluids of any type from eng or outdrive. n o noises. engine runs perfect.

the shifter was somewhat harder to move througout the day prior to this happening.
 
Don S

Don S

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

Check the gear lube for metal, if there is a lot of metal, pull the top cover of the drive and see if there are any teeth on the gears.
 
Don S

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

You can also disconnecty the lower shift cable from the engine and see if you can manually push and pull the cable and get the drive to go in gear.
Engine doesn't have to run, just see if the prop will turn or not.
PS: When in gear, the prop will turn one direction, but not the other. So try both.
 
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rharry

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

I had a the same problem. I found the drive shaft twisted off just above the gears in the lower unit. Some picnic but I fixed it myself. It sometimes needs special tools.

RHarry
 
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imported_TheMan

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

What does it feel like when you try to shift now?

There are probably better methods to check this, but here is my suggestion:

If you look at the outdrive shaft linking the engine to the outdrive.. with the engine running, is that shaft spinning? If the shaft isn't spinning you lost the coupler or stripped the splines or something in that region...

If that is spinning, check for incoming water supply from the outdrive. If you have water intake, you know the gear assemblies are good down to the water pump, which would put your problem in the base of hte lower unit. If it won't spit water up, your problem is probably in the upper or the main shaft in the lower.. (This of course assumes your water pump is in decent condition).

If you have water intake, it is probably a shift shaft issue..

Just trying to help before you tear it all apart..
 
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imported_TheMan

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

And yea... you might want to make sure you have water intake first, or don't run the engine too long!
 
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yjm3

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

thanks for the input, i will update when I try all of your suggestions this weekend. i was hoping just for a broken shift cable or something like that, but sure sounds like it could be more in depth.

thanks and ill keep posted.
 
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yjm3

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

just ran it.

engine shaft is spinning so coupler good.

no water exiting the engine, shut down at 150F. water pump good, so I guess an issue with the sterndrive


Any way to tell whether it is upper or lower unit?

1988, alpha one with merc 130hp in chris craft 18.

thanks
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

Ayuh,....

You might as well Pull the whole drive,+ have a Peek.....

Have you Checked the oil for Metal,..??..??

My WAGuess is,...
The lower unit's input shaft Sheared off at the o-ring groove.....

Depending on the degree of damage,...
An SEI outdrive might be a Cheaper fix, than having your's Rebuilt.....
 
Don S

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

Don S said:
Check the gear lube for metal, if there is a lot of metal, pull the top cover of the drive and see if there are any teeth on the gears.
Click to expand...


I posted this earlier, did you pull the top cover and LOOK?
 
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yjm3

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

Don S,

thanks, i have to get the sockets that fir those star bolts to look.

I have not drained the gear oil, but surmise metal to be in it.

I was thinking of going the SEI route, but was unsure of their reliability, etc?

I also thin it would be easier to do a direct replacment than messing with the internals. big mechanics i'm good with, transmissions and sterndrves- probably not so good at so i think if the sei is good, i will replace the whole thing. any input for the sei's

thanks, Tom
 
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imported_TheMan

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Re: 3.o merc 130 runs perfect, but lost forward and reverse!

I have only heard good things with regards to SEI and plan to follow that route myself down the line..
 
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