No reverse & Dies when given throttle

sqhurt · May 3, 2012

So finally toke the boat out on the water for the first time today, with few problems need to fix and address. First off when trying to back out from the dock didn't seem to have reverse. It turned it self around eventually with help from waves so threw it in forward, took off fine in foward gear idle good. Once out of wake zone gave her little bit of gas she acted like wanted to go then bam died. I tried messing with this for about an hour but couldnt get it to want to get up and go. I think gonna pump the old gas out and possible clean carbs see if that fixes that problem. But what could be causing the no reverse? It seem to ran fine on land and with muffs.

On another note I turned the propeller and it has slight clicking sound, almost like as your going up a rollercaoster that type of sound. And its an 89 2.3 vip Thanks

Howard Sterndrive · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

sqhurt said:
But what could be causing the no reverse?

Cobras are notorious for having finicky F-N-R shift adjustments. Try adjusting the shift cable first via factory service manual. but you may find you need a lower shift cable or the lower unit may be shot (clutch dogs)

sqhurt · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

Howard Sterndrive said:
Cobras are notorious for having finicky F-N-R shift adjustments. Try adjusting the shift cable first via factory service manual. but you may find you need a lower shift cable or the lower unit may be shot (clutch dogs)

Thanks Howard, Hey would you happen to know if there's a way to tell if the clutch dogs are shot or not?

bruceb58 · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

sqhurt said:
On another note I turned the propeller and it has slight clicking sound, almost like as your going up a rollercaoster that type of sound. And its an 89 2.3 vip Thanks

Do you hear that clicking sound in neutral or in gear? Its normal in gear.

sqhurt · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

bruceb58 said:
Do you hear that clicking sound in neutral or in gear? Its normal in gear.

Ok went out side to verify, this time it didn't make that sound (the outdrive was down). Earlier the out drive was up and just out of water, and made that clicking sound. Also threw it in forward and reverse and tried turning prop(by hand) results are..

With it in full throttle forward, prop would not turn either direction

In wide open throttle reverse, prop would turn clockwise but wouldn't turn counterclockwise.

bruceb58 · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

You sure about those directions in reverse? Should be the opposite. That is of course unless the drive is stuck in forward.

Your cable could easily be bad based on the fact that it did something differently when you had it tilted up. Indicates that cable's housign might be failing.

Tilt the drive up and look at the cable where it enters the drive. Look at the cable housing and see what condition it is in. That is where they fail.

sqhurt · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

bruceb58 said:
You sure about those directions in reverse? Should be the opposite. That is of course unless the drive is stuck in forward.

Your cable could easily be bad based on the fact that it did something differently when you had it tilted up. Indicates that cable's housign might be failing.

Tilt the drive up and look at the cable where it enters the drive. Look at the cable housing and see what condition it is in. That is where they fail.

Yes, Standing behind the boat looking at outdrive, with the lever engaged in wot reverse the prop spins clockwise and will not spin counterclockwise while engaged in reverse.

As to the cable housing, it's little to dark here now but I'll be sure to get back with you on that.

I do know it does have the red cable housing, and was hoping just needed a readjustment.

sqhurt · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

Would anyone know if the gm 2 jet rochester came on the 2.3 from factory? That's what I have on my motor, I ordered the part # 984487 rebuild kit but see another one that says its for the rochester 2jet. Thanks

SIMPLEARKANSAN · May 3, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

I just went throught the same thing with my 1988 Four Winns Liberator. The plastic end of the shift cable going into the outdrive had broken and my boat was stuck in forward. You could disconnect the the shift cable at the engine side and try to shift it by pulling on the cable with pliers and it wouldn't shift either. Just pull in and out.

bruceb58 said:
You sure about those directions in reverse? Should be the opposite. That is of course unless the drive is stuck in forward.

Your cable could easily be bad based on the fact that it did something differently when you had it tilted up. Indicates that cable's housign might be failing.

Tilt the drive up and look at the cable where it enters the drive. Look at the cable housing and see what condition it is in. That is where they fail.

sqhurt · May 4, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

bruceb58 said:
You sure about those directions in reverse? Should be the opposite. That is of course unless the drive is stuck in forward.

Your cable could easily be bad based on the fact that it did something differently when you had it tilted up. Indicates that cable's housign might be failing.

Tilt the drive up and look at the cable where it enters the drive. Look at the cable housing and see what condition it is in. That is where they fail.

Well the cable housing seem to be free of any bends or creases. It has little bit of some white build up on it other then that looks fine. I have yet to take the outdrive off yet though.

sqhurt · May 4, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

SIMPLEARKANSAN said:
I just went throught the same thing with my 1988 Four Winns Liberator. The plastic end of the shift cable going into the outdrive had broken and my boat was stuck in forward. You could disconnect the the shift cable at the engine side and try to shift it by pulling on the cable with pliers and it wouldn't shift either. Just pull in and out.

Did you have to replace the cable housing and the cable? Thanks

bruceb58 · May 4, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

sqhurt said:
Did you have to replace the cable housing and the cable? Thanks

You always replace both.

sqhurt · May 4, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

bruceb58 said:
You always replace both.

K, Thanks bruce. Just ordered the new cable along with the 2 tools to adjust it. Praying this fixes the reverse problem

bruceb58 · May 5, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

It was smart to get the tools. Makes the job easier.

sqhurt · May 7, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

Alrighty, Got the outdrive off earlier today. Wasn't that bad but def easier with extra pair of hands, Cherry picker would made it cake work. But got her all off and bellows are dry of water. u joint has good amount of grease in them. Is that Normal? One other thing, I hooked up the grease gun to the gimbal bearing grease fitting and my grease was coming out the tube just on the other side of the transom bracket where it connects there. Is this normal? Can it be tightend up some how? Thanks

sqhurt · May 19, 2012

Re: No reverse & Dies when given throttle

Need some help asap. I'm doing my transom shift cable, and upon doing so I toke the red cable housing and bolted it up to the pivot housing, after got the housing bolted up and bellows on i then insereted the cable itself into the housing and routed it that way. Don't know why did it that way but did. I'm wondering if that's ok to do it that way? Cause the threaded end of cable seems to stick out more. Also running into not being able to get the cable end by motor into the adjustment tool its off by about 3/16 and wont go into the bar. I have the cable anchor on flush and dont seem to work.. any info is greatly appreciated

No reverse & Dies when given throttle

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