Removing outdrive - how do I shift into forward?

[motoman701]

Hopefully a quick and silly question. I read to put the outdrive into forward gear before removal. I cannot seem to do this easily. I put the throttle all the way forward and spinning the prop by hand it clicks a bit but I can still turn it pretty easily. I then tried turning the key (with the plug wires disconnected) while shifting but of course the shift interruptor stops the engine turning right away

 

[Alumarine]

If it's a single handle that controls both throttle and forward/reverse just move the lever forward like you normally would to go forward..
The prop will click when rotated one way but you should not be able to rotate it the other way.
When in reverse the opposite will happen.

 

[harringtondav]

Remember to keep your shift controller in the FWD wide open throttle position when your reinstall the drive. Make sure the shift shaft lever on the drive is pointing forward, and FWD is engaged. As marc c said above, the prop will click clockwise, lock CCW. (I assume you have a std rotation drive) Check this before you sock it up. It's a painful re-do otherwise.

 

[motoman701]

I got it harringtondav and marc c . Now that I got it off I see why having it in that position was imporatant

 

[gergAlicious]

Good info. I had mine at WOT and when I removed the OD the cog was turned too far - was not inline front to back. Started thinking maybe just ‘into’ forward was what I should have done? Now maybe I just need a cable adjustment?

 

[thumpar]

Good info. I had mine at WOT and when I removed the OD the cog was turned too far - was not inline front to back. Started thinking maybe just ‘into’ forward was what I should have done? Now maybe I just need a cable adjustment?

WOT or "just" into forward is the same at the drive. There is no part way when it comes to the shifting. If yours wasn't straight forward when the selector was in forward you have an issue.

 

[gergAlicious]

Understood. I need to go back and see if I had already moved the shift bracket off of the exhaust riser before I removed the OD. Perhaps the cable moving would have caused the inner cable to change position, altering the cog.

Other than that, I suppose maybe an adjustment? Boat always shifted fine on the water.

**Edit**

I definitely had moved the cables inside the engine compartment first before removing the OD - judging by the sequence opf photos I have. Maybe the tension placed on the cables caused the cog to turn when the OD came off.

 

[harringtondav]

gergAlicious WOT is the manual's recommendation. I think it's to ensure FWD is fully engaged. The shift cable slide that rotates the bell hsg.shift lever assy. has a fixed throw-travel limited by the helm controller's travel. But the end points can be tweaked if there is slack in the two shift cables by following the adjustment in the attachments. Make sure the controller is in FWD WOT before starting, and you have both cable end clevis pushed fully in to remove slack. The barrel nuts should be adjusted to maintain this when you reinsert them. In FWD, the bell hsg upper shift lever should end up nearly dead FWD, but I've had some that are still slightly off after all this. A little grease in the bell hsg. lever slot and Drive lever arm will help when you force the drive home.

 

[harringtondav]

...ps. If the bell hsg shift lever ends up pointing to the right/cw, there is an assbackwards cheat. Remove the O/D shift cable from the shift plate. Then reinstall just the barrel nut, leaving the end of the cable off the stud. Then pull the bell hsg shift slide out until the slotted upper shift lever points dead fwd. You may have to do this by putting vise grips on that lever to orient it. Then go back up and readjust the O/D shift cable barrel nut rearward until the cable end just slips over the stud.
Pay attention to the differences in number of turns, or distance between the barrel nut and cable end studs from start to finish. The shift plate can be fussy. Misadjustment can cause engine stall when shifting, or the throttle cable increasing engine revs. before the drive is in gear. Either of these will require you go back to where you started, and fighting the O/D back on the bell hsg.