lower unit slipping in gear

[captnron101]

I folks, I am new here and new to the world of outboard motors. I have a question that may sound silly to more experienced folks but, Last weekend I rebuilt the carb on my 82 7.5 hp merc and had it starting on 1 pull, cold, (in the water tub). At the same time I purchased and installed a new hydrofoil to try and counter the effects of my little boats uncontrollable bow rise while under way. While I am very happy to report, the boat ran perfectly for several hours, purred like a kitten, the hydro foil did as advertised and brought the bow right down, and actually lifted the stern several inches at full throttle. The issue is, that I had trouble shifting out of drive several times, and after that the boat felt like a clutch or trans slipping in a car at about half throttle. I backed out of the throttle several times, shifted back to nuetral, into rev, then N then drive several times to make sure it was fully engaged, tried to throttle up again, and same thing. ran good up to about half throttle, then tried 3/4 throttle and I saw more than the usual amount of air bubbles coming from the prop area with that feeling of a slipping clutch. I parked the boat for a few hours and when I went back out it seemed to have corrected itself and was seemingly working fine. Any ideas what caused this? I don't have the manual for this engine and I quite frankly do not know if there is some kind of "clutch" in the lower unit or not. Anyone know what can cause this?

 

[racerone]

Check oil in lower unit and try another prop.

 

[Star]

There isn't any clutch! The hub inside the prop is slipping under load. It doesn't pay to fix it, just get a new prop.. about $75 for aluminum or $150 for stainless.

 

[Texasmark]

+3................

 

[captnron101]

thanks for answering guys, I took the boat out yesterday and she ran as if nothing ever happened. idk if it was a fluke thing, but I did notice that the tilt latch wasn't unlocking when I put it in gear had to push down on the little wire like rod that goes from the latch to the lower unit to get it to tilt, and it never gave me that slipping feeling again. Do you think that could have had something to do with it maybe not being in gear all the way? I did have to fight it really hard once to get it into neutral after she stalled out once last weekend...

 

[Texasmark]

Do you think that could have had something to do with it maybe not being in gear all the way? I did have to fight it really hard once to get it into neutral after she stalled out once last weekend...

Yepper could be your problem. A slipping hub will repeat itself on a regular basis.

Mark