should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

[SuperBeeIII]

1973 Chrysler Conqueror SIII...340 V-8 Chrysler powered, has a 270T outdrive. It got stuck in forward last weekend, and I've done some diagnosis, and it doesn't appear to be a problem with the Morse control or the control cable.
If everything was working properly, should I be able to shift the outdrive from forward to neutral and reverse without the engine running or is there a hydraulic assist provided by the engine to assist the shift?

 

[Don S]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Check your gear lube. Is it milky? Over full? To low?

 

[SuperBeeIII]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Check your gear lube. Is it milky? Over full? To low?

I changed it before the trip, as it was showing low. I haven't yet checked it after the trip, however. I'll try and do that tomorrow. This is only my second trip out with it, and I remember it shifting pretty hard on the first trip.

 

[SuperBeeIII]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

It finally stopped raining here long enough for me to pull the boat out into the sunlight and work on it. I checked the outdrive dipstick and it's right at full and perfectly clear. I disconnected the transmission cable at the junction above the outdrive and the Morse control works fine and that long transmission cable operates easy and smoothly. The short transmission cable that goes down to the bottom of the outdrive won't budge however, so I don't know if it's the cable that's stuck....or whatever it controls in the outdrive. Any suggestions as to what to check next?

 

[Don S]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Disconnect the cable at the drive and see if the drive shifts, or if the lower cable is frozen.

 

[SuperBeeIII]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Where that second shorter cable goes into the drive itself...is way down in the bottom of the boat. I'm not even sure I can get down there to it. How will it actually be attached to the drive?

 

[Don S]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Below is a picture showing where the cable (#2) is located and hooks to the drive. Disconnect it and see if the drive linkage works. Probably that cable (#2) is what is bad.

 

[SuperBeeIII]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Hmmmm...so the cable end is accessible from outside the boat? I assume there is some sort of cover over that area that I can remove easily?

 

[SuperBeeIII]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

I just went out and took a look. I see the two screws that appear to hold the cover over that area on the outdrive. Is it just those two visible large phillips screws that hold that cover? Is there any sort of gasket or seal that I will have to replace when I remove the cover?

 

[SuperBeeIII]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?



I removed the cover and here's what I see. I could fairly easily move the top lever with my fingers, and that seemed to get it unstuck from forward mode. Once I did that, I was able to shift from the Morse control...although still pretty stiffly. I disconnected the control cable and it was a good bit easier at the Morse. It almost appears as if there is some binding of the cross shaft at the bottom with the housing of the drive. It looks like water has been in here quite a bit, and the improvised cotter pins are surely not helping. I was thinking of cleaning all this up and installing proper cotter pins. What, if any lube should I use on this linkage? Also, as far as the cable adjustment is concerned....if I have the Morse in "neutral"...should that lever at the top be totally horizontal? If so, it's a bit off...
thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Yes neutral is supposed to be level with the shift mechanism. Your's is almost in either forward or reverse.
Disconnect the cable and move the shift mechanism by hand, and you will feel the neutral indent. Full movement either direction is a different gear forward or reverse. Doesn't matter which is which, they need to go full into both.
As old as it is, you may just need both new shift cables to get them to work right. Too much wear inside the cable gives too much excess movement.

 

[SuperBeeIII]

Re: should I be able to shift 270T outdrive without engine running?

Okay, I'm going to clean all this up, replace the missing washers and cotter pins and lube all the contact points under the shift cover. Would something like automotive wheel bearing grease be okay for this or do I need something special?
Also, I noticed that the adjustment at the end of the cable at the outdrive was all the way at the end of it's range. What I am thinking of doing is putting that cable adjustment a little more towards the center of it's range, then adjust the other end of that short cable above the outdrive where it joins the other long cable up to the Morse, so that the pivot point there is straight up and down when in neutral, so that the cable would have maximum ability to travel into forward and reverse at that junction. Basically, I'm going to put the drive and Morse in neutral, and then adjust all the cable adjust points so that they are as much in the center of their travel as possible. It doesn't look like rocket science now that I'm into it. I'm going to write down the numbers off both cables however and begin the search for their eventual replacements.