Hard shifting

[bryx9]

My Sea Ray has a board in front of the out drive attached to the shift cable with a switch on each end,that I assume goes to the distributor. The switches are tripping, but the engine does not stumble, so it is hard to shift. I idled the engine way down and it is easier to shift, but is still sticky. What exactly happens in the distributor when these switches close? and what could be wrong> Thanks

 

[86 century]

Re: Hard shifting

Those are there to make the eng misfire for a split second to allow the gears to come apart.

If the boat has done this the entire time you have owned it the previous owner may have disconnect. If there is a fault in the system(vast majority of the time its the lower shift cable getting a bit sticky)the eng will die any time you try to shift from forward or reverse to neutral.

Hope this helps
If you give the real experts all the info on the drive eng combo you have I'm sure they can help you.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Hard shifting

My Sea Ray has a board in front of the out drive attached to the shift cable with a switch on each end,that I assume goes to the distributor.

What drive do you have and what year?

 

[bryx9]

Re: Hard shifting

What drive do you have and what year?

It is a 1983 Sea Ray with a 350 chevy engine. It says OMC on the valve covers. The shifter works fine. Like I said, the shifter indicator has "foward-reverse on each end, with a button switch on each end that are tripping, but the engine does nothing. The wires from the switch go to the distributor. My question is what could be wrong in the dist.?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Hard shifting

Does the distributor have points or did some one replace them with an ignition module?

 

[bryx9]

Re: Hard shifting

Does the distributor have points or did some one replace them with an ignition module?

The distributor has points. Thanks for your interest

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Hard shifting

Very possible your ESA, shift switch or power to the module is bad. Need to check power to it and that you have a good ground. When the shift switch is activated, the ESA pulses the negative side of the coil temporarily grounding it.

 

[bryx9]

Re: Hard shifting

Very possible your ESA, shift switch or power to the module is bad. Need to check power to it and that you have a good ground. When the shift switch is activated, the ESA pulses the negative side of the coil temporarily grounding it.

After further review and untangling the wires I find only one switch is used. One wire of the switch goes to ground and the other one goes to a ignition module..I thought this is simple, the switch is bad, and the wire to the module is the kill wire, like on an outboard motor. BUT, after checking, the switch is good. Here is the kicker, when the switch is tripped by the cam on the shifter the switch OPENS! The rest of the time it is closed and that wire to the module is grounded. How can this be? I mean, the engine runs perfectly with this wire grounded. Help!