'97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

[cbr rob]

I hear you're the Volvo man Don S , so pardon my reposting this.

1997 Glastron, Volvo-Penta 5.7 GS PKLD with SX C1 Outdrive. Took the boat out for the first time. Runs like a champ. Only issue is that shifting from gear (either Forward or Reverse) into neutral is very stiff. I can drop from neutral into gear (either direction, forward of reverse) with ease. It's just that coming out of gear is stiff. The boat only has 125 hours on it (according to the Hour Meter).

Any ideas as to where I need to start looking? I should also mention that the throttle control also has an issue. You do not need to pull up the red lever under the handle to put it into gear. I believe the gear lock-out is broken, as a firm push on the handle will drop the lever forward or back dropping the outdrive into gear without ever pulling up on the handle. We will be checking into the hand controls next weekend, but I would like to find out if there is anything I should be looking for. Thanks in advance guys!!!

-Rob

 

[Don S]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

Hard to say, disconnect the shift linkage on the drive and see if the shift arm will go into gear and back out of gear easily with the engine running (REMOVE THE PROP FIRST)
If it moves easy, have someone move the shifter while you hold tension on the end of the shift cable. If by you holding some tension on it, if it makes it stiffer for the person trying to move the lever, then you need a new cable.

 

[wire2]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

Don, will a high idle rpm tend to keep it stuck in gear like a 5.7 stringer will?

 

[Don S]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

Nope, completely different. Stringers are dog clutches Volvo's are cone clutches.

 

[cbr rob]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

Don,

Thanks so much for the reply. Pops and I will look into it this weekend and report back our findings. Thanks again.

-Rob

 

[billbayliner]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

I have the same problem on my C1 DP, and this is what a very knowledgable Volvo mech told me.

As with any of these drives, once in gear and the props apply force against the gear-set, the force holds the Dog Clutch or Cone Clutch IN. This is actually part of the design! Sometimes too high an idle adds to this force enough to make it difficult to come back out into neutral. This was/is the primary reason for a "shift interrupt" system for the OMC and Mercruiser Dog Clutch drives. (it momentarily lowers RPM during the shift).

Also, like Don, he said it could also be a deteriorating cable.

Bill

 

[cbr rob]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

Do the Volvo systems use the "Shift Interupt" switch in their design? Manuals have been ordered but are not here as of yet so I have not been able to do the research. Thanks in advance!

-Rob

 

[Don S]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

Nope, no shift interrupt.

 

[JustJason]

Re: '97 Volvo Hard to Shift to Neutral -- Calling Don S!!

no shifter interrupt with any drive with a cone clutch