Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
Messages
263
I changed my impeller and now am having problems with my prop spinning while in neutral. I took the lower unit off again and shifted into forward, did the samething with the shift shaft. Everything seemed to line up nice, when it was in neutral, prop spins freely. When I put the muffs on it and start, the propeller spins in what looks like reverse? Im really confused now... any help??
 

sleepinin

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Jun 3, 2006
Messages
77
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

bsh21wash,
sometimes when you run your engine on the muffs and you get it trimmed level the muff water and exhaust will make your prop spin. If when the engine is off and the helm is in nuetral you can spin your prop freely both directions without any noise, then it is in nuetral. You might try to a couple of things on the muffs to be sure. With all the dogs and kids put away. Start the motor on muffs. Shift in to forward (at idle speed) and see that the prop is spinning clockwise. Shift in to nuetral and see that it slows down dramatically or stops. Shift in to reverse and see that it spins counterclockwise. All of these are when viewed from the back. Again make sure no one can come in contact with the prop, also watch how the hose is routed. When the motor is in gear on the muffs it will spin fast enough to fling exhaust water everywhere. Was yours spinning that fast?
 

Motor Boater Bill

Chief Petty Officer
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Jan 29, 2005
Messages
488
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Your prop can turn, usually slowly, when in neutral due to friction and/or cold/thick oil between the propshaft and the gears. As long as you can turn it freely by hand with the motor off and in neutral, should not be a problem, and also may clear up after you've run the motor a bit. Have you changed the LU oil?
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,893
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Take a wooden2x4 of 4 or 5 ft length and with the muffs on and the engine idling in N, slowly put the end of the board against the rotating blade tip. If it is driven as Bill said you can easily stop it from turning. If it resists violently, you have a problem.

Mark
 

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
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263
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Forgot to add when in neutral, its not toatally quiet when spinning but does spin freely (doesnt click) like when in forward.
 

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
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Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

It was not spinning that fast but was wondering why it spins now and it didnt before. I'll give another try when I get home from work later.
 

Texasmark

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Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,893
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Any time you touch something, you change things. That's why a lot of folks subscribe to the axiom "don't fix it if it ain't broke". Wise information.:/

But still if you have to do something you have to do it. But still the former is true.

mark
 

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
Messages
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Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Well I started it up and put a piece of 2X4 on the propeller and it stoped it with ease. When shifting in forward - propeller when clockwise, and counter with reverse. Does this sound good??
 

shipoffools

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jan 8, 2004
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Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

It is doing what it should be doing.
 

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
Messages
263
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Took it out for a trial run and it seemed to be lacking the power it used to... ?
 

Motor Boater Bill

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
488
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Spun hub? Does the motor rev up without the boat going faster or does the motor not rev up--got a tach? If we are going to get into this you might want to say what motor, serial number, prop pitch, etc. Or it might make sense to start a new thread with the power issue.
 

Texasmark

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Messages
14,893
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Changing the impeller shouldn't have anything to do with the way your engine runs.....as long as you got it back together correctly and supplying the required cooling water. You must have disturbed something else. Go back over what you may have touched. If you drained and refilled the lower unit it could explain why the prop turns now when it didn't before....viscous oil.

In F gear, for right hand props (screw clockwise viewed from the rear), without the engine running, the prop will click when turned cw and hold solid ccw. In N it spins freely. When put in reverse, being very careful to spin the prop by hand while attempting to put in reverse, once the gear teeth line up it locks in place and holds solid both cw and ccw.

Mark
 

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
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Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

I didnt change the lower unit oil. When in neutral the prop spins freely, It doesnt spin that well though. A little bit of resistance.

The motor is a Merc 65hp 3 cyl. Serial # starts 3666 dont have the rest on me right now ( at work).
 

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
Messages
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Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Also when started on the muffs in neutral sometimes the motor will kick into gear and then die... but the throttle handle is still in neutral.
 

Motor Boater Bill

Chief Petty Officer
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Jan 29, 2005
Messages
488
Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

On jumping into gear, you might not have gotten the shift shaft splines quite oriented properly when you reassembled the LU to the midsection. I'd suggest you drop the LU again, put LU and shift both in neutral, then reassmeble.
 

bsh21wash

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 27, 2006
Messages
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Re: Shifting problem(prop spins in neutral)

Thats the thing I couldnt find neutral on the shift shaft, will try again...thanks
 
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