interrupt switch disconnected

flashback

Captain
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Jun 28, 2002
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This boat has been in my lift since last winter when my neighbor sold his house and gave the boat to me. I pulled it to my place with a kayak because the fuel pump was ruptured. I have since converted to electric and got it running well enough to get it to the ramp and on the trailer. At least he must have winterized it at some time!

The switch was disconnected so I checked with a meter and it checked out. so I reconnected it and the engine runs with it hooked up. water drips out of the lower shift cable when running so I suspect a bad cable was his reason for un hooking it.

I want to check out the shifting process while in the water and wondered if I could tie the boat up to my dock and still put it in gear without ripping the cleats out of the deck or pulling the dock down. I have done this with smaller boats but this boat is a lot heavier and has a good bit of thrust I'm thinking.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 20, 2001
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I want to check out the shifting process while in the water and wondered if I could tie the boat up to my dock and still put it in gear without ripping the cleats out of the deck or pulling the dock down.
Depends on the quality of the boat, hardware and dock
I've had twin 200 HP outboards tied to a dock in gear numerous occasions.
How much HP are you dealing with?
 

flashback

Captain
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Thx dingbat, your response is encouraging.

Its a stock 350 so probably about 260hp. I don't intend to go above idle, just want to check how well it will shift if at all. If it works I can get it on a trailer and pull the drive and do a decent inspection.

It's going to need a gimbal bearing, prop, and shift cable a least.
 

Rick Stephens

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Aug 13, 2013
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Buying a new to you boat..... first thing is do all the maintenance that you must assume the previous owner neglected. A few highlights are the water dripping out of the lower shift cable - that is most likely the water passageway o-ring between outdrive and bellhousing. Water from the water pump in the outdrive is going past that o-ring and pressuring that end. You must pull the core out and get the water out of that housing or your drive will start shifting poorly or the interrupt will engage and kill the motor.

Learn how the interrupt works - read in the stickies about how.

Pull the drive, inspect u-joints and gimbal bearing, grease as needed. Check for cracks in bellows - that's how boats sink.

Drain and inspect the oil in the drive. Split the drive cases and replace the impeller and maybe the pump housing unless it's perfect.

Check all the maintenance items and you will save money. Leaving them will add up to very costly repairs.
 

Bondo

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Ayuh,.... I'm with dingbat, I do it quite often, at idle of course,....
 

flashback

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Thx to all for the replies, i have used the search function extensively which is why my fuel pump conversion worked out.

I disconnected the shift cables and the lower one moves but probably not easy enough. I have not done one in the past so nothing to compare to. I'll give it a try tomorrow tied up to the dock and get back.
 

flashback

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I gave it a try today and found out why the switch was disconnected but didn't tear any cleats loose with it tied up to the dock.
I think the lower cable is binding or something is. with the switch connected I could get it into forward but it would die shifting back to neutral. It would not restart unless I manually moved the cable until the switch roller was at the bottom of the V. Shifting into reverse it would die before going into gear.
Spent some time with the Achris video and did some adjusting. The lower cable measured 5 and half inches when in forward so I set to 6. The remote cable has about 2 and a half inches total travel not 3". so I'm I bit lost there.
With the switch disconnected It will go into forward and reverse so at least I know the drive has a reverse. It is a bear to get it out of gear tho, must be why the PO backed it into the shallows and tore up the prop coming out of his dock..
I have about 5 miles to a boat ramp and I believe I can get it to the ramp if I take it nice and easy and my question is how much risk is there to the lower unit doing this? I think I could easily shut the ignition off while in gear and get it to neutral if needed. Any suggestions appreciated..thx
 

Bondo

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Ayuh,.... If it goes into gear, it's in gear,..... No fear goin' to the launch,.....
Odds are, replacin' the lower shift cable will fix it, but inspect the bellows 1st,....
No sense in goin' that deep twice, as the rubber parts tend to fail in 'bout the same time frame,....
 

flashback

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Ayuh,.... If it goes into gear, it's in gear,..... No fear goin' to the launch,.....
Odds are, replacin' the lower shift cable will fix it, but inspect the bellows 1st,....
No sense in goin' that deep twice, as the rubber parts tend to fail in 'bout the same time frame,....
I'm hearing you, I'm too old to rush it and have to go back!
BTW, about 10 years ago you were jacking up a cottage if I remember right, how did that adventure go?
 

Bondo

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I'm hearing you, I'm too old to rush it and have to go back!
BTW, about 10 years ago you were jacking up a cottage if I remember right, how did that adventure go?
Ayuh,.... It was 20 years ago, 'n we just finished doin' it again,....
It had sunk into the ground enough, the sewer wouldn't drain,....
Now it drains perfectly again,....
 

flashback

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Ayuh,.... It was 20 years ago, 'n we just finished doin' it again,....
It had sunk into the ground enough, the sewer wouldn't drain,....
Now it drains perfectly again,....
LOL man time flies, but for some reason I remembered that.
 

Searay205

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May 27, 2018
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468
My guess is your lower shift cable is binding. that is why its killing the engine when the shift interrupter switch is connected. The shift interrupter switch instantaneoulsy kills ignition when shifting from forward to neutral. If it is not connected then you pull so hard on the gear lever since the clutch is loaded you go straight to reverse past neutral. One time on an older alpha 1 the seal on the shift shaft in the gimbal was binding (they have a new design now). Shift interrupter switch doesn't know what is binding, bad cable, bad shift shaft seal, or trying to pull it from drive to neutral, it kills ignition until switch ball l recenters it lets ignition fire, if ball don't center it don't fire...
 
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