Reverse Prop - no forward gear.

incrediblened

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
148
I got a screaming deal on a new stainless mercury vengence prop. $100!

Unfortunately, when I put the boat on the water I realize that it was a reverse pitch prop. Well, since I was already on the water and the kids were suited up in their life jackets, I got to thinking... the forward gear is probably the same down there as the reverse gear, so I ran it in reverse on the throttle, and it pushed me forward down the lake at 45 mph.

Now it never really shifted in to reverse (forward propulsion with my prop) well. But I kep thinking, this can't be a prop problem. There must be something wrong with the shift cable or something. When shifting in to reverse gear it always gave a grind, grind, clunk and then it went into gear. It went into forward gear fine (reverse propulsion).

And then after sitting a while it wouldn't go into reverse gear at all. It just grinds like when you grind the gears in your manual transition on a car. Like it won't shift it hard enough to go into gear. No clunks or anything horrifying.

Anyway, don't spank me too bad for running the prop backwards. :facepalm:

Note: I'm going to check for water/metal in the outdrive. I noticed a crack in the bellhousing earlier. Maybe my outdrive is cracked as well.

Many thanks for the help.

1997 Mercruiser 4.3, Alpha One, Reverse Pitch Prop :rolleyes:

Ryan
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2010
Messages
923
Re: Reverse Prop - no forward gear.

Oh Boy!! Mercury does not emphasize reverse gear backlash like that. That is what counter rotation gearcases are for...
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,148
Re: Reverse Prop - no forward gear.

Ryan, Counterrotating gearcases are designed differently than standard rotation gearcases. The reverse gear bearings in CR Gearcases are much more robust to take the forces inherent in high speed operation.
 
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