FIXED-1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

I haven't tried to pull it off with the drive in its lowest position, but I am guessing if it moved an inch I should be in the clear as far as the splines and gimbal being seized?

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

I just tried it again in its lowest position and it still feels bound up some how. I will get the big tools out tomorrow to GENTLY pull it lose.

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

i dont know what your saying but get the cord off of it i am guessing
you only have .030 of clearance in the bolt hole ,shaft is on universals so it dont care. but hub that slides in might bound up too. Not that heavy, get a piece of wood under it . check your alignment when you get it off. the shoe is underneeth the exhaust port,

 

[dubs283]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

to get the drive off, place a 2x4 on top of the drive between the forward top cap bolt heads and the gimbal ring then tilt the drive upwards by hand until the 2x4 it tight between the top cap bolt heads and the gimbal ring. keep tilting drive up and the 2x4 will act as a wedge between the top cap bolt heads and gimbal ring forcing the drive off the bell hsg

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

I will try the forcing method tomorrow. When you say tilting are you talking about with my hoist or the power trim/tilt cylinders?

What I was saying is that I had let the chain completely lose, nothing holding the drive up and it was as far down as possible yet it still wouldn't easly come off.

 

[Showtime22]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Two things could be binding the drive. The shift linkage and the U joint/ Drive shaft assembly.

Look at the shift linkage between the transom and the drive. If you have it in forward they should be facing center and not be binding.

The U joint has 2 O-rings on the tip and its possible you are just stuck on the second one.

You could try turning the shift linkage on the drive by hand and turning the prop - this will engage the drive line and turn the U joint that you are binding on. Hopefully with some wiggling it will pop loose.

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

The block of wood and power trim worked!!!! I did see some old grease on the shaft splines that I think was causing the shaft to stick.

Here are some pictures.

This was my last ditch effort before I figured out wherer the block of wood needed to be.

WOO HOO, it's off. This looks like rust but it is just the camera. I was VERY impressed with the U-joints, gimbal, driveshaft bellows, and outdrive. You can tell someone had some service done on this boat.

Here is a better picture. Also notice this is at an angle so it will look as though the alignment is way off.

Now my drive is hanging. The u-joints looked new which is a relief.

I am going to play with the shifting and I think that I am going to take mrflip2's advice and see if the shift shoe is off a couple of splines as this makes the most sense. Also, the boat store said I needed a special tool to replace the drive shift cable...some sort of long socket???

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

I found out what was causing the drive to stick... and yes it was in forward.

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

UGH, this poor boat. I think I might have to give SEI a call. the drive is 99% reinstalled and I still don't have a full reverse. I checked the drive cable and when I shift into reverse the shift bar in the gimbal housing goes as far port as absolutely possible...it cannot move any further without me griding down the gimbal housing (which i won't do). I have adjusted the remote shift cable to the point that I do not have a full forward and the shift lever won't go all the way back because the shift shaft in the gimbal housing is bottoming out on the side of the gimbal housing and STILL no full reverse. I have noticed that there is a slight difference between having the drive all the way down and trimmed up a little bit.

So far I know that the drive shift cable is OK
I know that the shift shoe and shift rod in the gimbal housing are ok.

On a side note I was very impressed with how well the drive went back in.

Here are the pics

Here is the old shift shoe vs the new shift shoe part.

Drive nearly installed

 

[ziggy]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

bummer, looked like for sure ya found the problem. any chance the other half of the shift shaft. the one in the bellhousing is bent too?
don't know who's parts your using, but food for thought. i R&Red my shift shaft in my bellhousing with a glm shift shaft. pos. had to file it to fit and work proper. gave me such a bad attitude, i gave up on it and called it lesson learned. bought me a oem mercuriser part and it worked proper right out of the bag...

also.

does it shift proper on the bench? this question needs to be answered one way or the other i'd think. if it don't work proper on the bench, it'll never work proper on the boat..

fwd = prop locked ccw, ratchets cw, shift shaft coupler facing stright fwd.
neu. = prop freewheels, shift shaft coupler about 15* to port. no noteable sound or feel to it..
rev.= prop loced cw, ratchets ccw, shift shaft coupler faceing about 60* to port.

did you have have lower removed from the upper? if so, when you mated the upper to lower was everything in fwd. prop locked ccw? shift shaft facing fwd. i'm thinking miss mate between the shift shaft in the lower with the part you replaced. off a spline...


if you've never replaced the shift cable going to the drive or don't know it's status. that is high suspect...

sounds like you've adj. the remote cable too. i've never adj. one. but i can tell by reading the procedure. it's something that needs to be followed exactly as described in the book or i'd guess failure in adjustment will occur...

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

The cable cannot move the upper shift shaft anymore...it is as far to port as it can possibly go no matter what adjustments I do.


In the merc manual I show a bushing that sits in the upper gear case for the shift shoe to ride in. I have no such bushing. My shoe-shift-shaft (pictured in my last post) has tons of play in the piece of the upper housing it rides in and I see no such bushing in the hole.

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

This is the part I am missing:

http://www.iboats.com/GLM_21423_replacement_parts/dm/view_id.459229

 

[system-f]

Re: FIXED-1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

FIXED, the upper shift rod that has the C-channel like groove was bent open too much.

I figured I better take another look at this problem and pulled the drive again without the lower leg. This time it came right out.

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Upper leg

Something looks bent. I didn't see this until I laid under the gimbal housing and started inspecting things.

Another view

Good view

Look at the play, this is the new shift shoe.

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Here is the old OEM shoe.

Here it is after I bent it back.

Fixed

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Thank you for all of your help!

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

you bent that taking it off by not having it lined up in forward?

 

[system-f]

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Re: 1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

I think I bent that the second time I installed the lower leg and it slipped out of forward right after the water pump install when I pulled the lower leg to install an o-ring that was not needed.

 

[Howie B413]

Re: FIXED-1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Hi can someone help me im new to this i just bought my very first boat
its a 1977 23ft searay with the inboard/outboard mercruiser 233 motor it will not start with the key if i jump the starter it starts and runs great but will not shift into neutral or reverse and what is the little black button on the side of the throttle do?

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: FIXED-1977 Mecruiser Type 1 drive, won't go into reverse

Hi can someone help me im new to this i just bought my very first boat
its a 1977 23ft searay with the inboard/outboard mercruiser 233 motor it will not start with the key if i jump the starter it starts and runs great but will not shift into neutral or reverse and what is the little black button on the side of the throttle do?

Welcome to Iboats.... Please, ask your question with a new thread not at the bottom of 3-year old problem from someone else.