thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

[matthundley]

ok , I bought a 1980 cabin cruiser "project" boat with a mercruiser 228 , w alpha 1 outdrive. the boat runs like a dream , but I cannot get the prop to turn , it will act like it's going to turn , then I'll hear clanking and it spin very slow then stop. almost like it's not catching gear all the way. I took the top view plate off and the top gears look good, but when I spin the prop the top gears don't turn. Im thinking of just replacing the outdrive, but I want to make sure I don't have a shift cable problem or something, when I shift the shifter in neutral it's like nutting changes, how can I test that my boat us actually shifting ? I'm not a boat mechanic , but some ideas on where to tart troubleshooting the shifter and put drive would be great. thanks in advance

 

[Don S]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

Start it up on muffs. Disconnect the lower shift cable from the shift bracket in the engine compartment. Push and pull the cable by hand and see if it shifts.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

Alpha drives shift in the bottom, so when it's not in gear, you can turn the prop all you want, you aren't going to see the top gears spin. It does indeed sound like your drive isn't shifting all the way into gear. That is usually a cable issue. Others will be along to tell you exactly how to check it.

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

I will try and shift by hand , the shift bracket is the one that is curved? thanks for the replies

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

what if it still won't shift by hand , lower unit could be shot ?

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

The bracket is the one with the cables mounted to it. One from your hand shifter and one from the outdrive. Take only the one coming from the out drive loose.

Should be able to take the cotter pin out and slide the barrell off, do not turn the barrell, and then try to shift it useing the cable end sticking out.
push one way and hold cable and then have someone check your prop and see if it locks one way and clicks the other. then do the same the other way.

This will point you in a direction if it does not work.

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

The bracket is the one with the cables mounted to it. One from your hand shifter and one from the outdrive. Take only the one coming from the out drive loose.

Should be able to take the cotter pin out and slide the barrell off, do not turn the barrell, and then try to shift it useing the cable end sticking out.
push one way and hold cable and then have someone check your prop and see if it locks one way and clicks the other. then do the same the other way.

This will point you in a direction if it does not work.

I took the cable off and tried to push it in and it barely moves , it is super stiff. so i guess i need to replace the shift cable going from the bracket to the outdrive? will that make the outdrive chatter ? im guessing its chattering because its not getting in gear all the way.

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

i have the side panel off , so i can see the shifter cables up front, the shifter will not shift in reverse only forward, but when its in neutral it will go both ways , can you go backwards on the throttle in neutral :/

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

ok wow, i just took the outdrive off, holy cow, it was a salt water boat that had never left the water by the looks of it. the lower shift cable was completely gunked and almost rotted through. it all looks rough , i guess im going to buy a used outdrive from around my city and then rebuild the the rest.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

Why buy used? Brand New SEI drives are $1400 with a 3 year warranty. You can buy right here on iboats.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

You seem to be in a hurry to buy a new/different drive. Yours may just need a bit of TLC, and a lower shift cable,.Are you able to shift gears by manually turning the lower [brass foot looking thing] shift shaft where it comes out of the lower unit ? Straight ahead is FWD, or the 1200 position if looking down from above, 1100 pos is neutral and 1000 pos is reverse. Try that. In FWD the prop should lock if spun CCW and ratchet if spun CW, neutral prop spins freely both ways, Rev locks if spun CW and ratchets if spun CCW...If that checks out your lower may be fine and you just need cable work...

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

I was going to try and save it, but as I was taking the outdrive off it was pretty much crumbling in my hands. I found a good used outdrive and a good bell housing for 575 , so in putting that on today. hopefully that will be the extent of major repairs

 

[Don S]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

I was going to try and save it, but as I was taking the outdrive off it was pretty much crumbling in my hands.

You might want to post some pictures of the back of your boat. If the drive and bellhousing were crumbling in your hands, I can't see how the rest of the gimbal ring and gimbal housing can be much good. It's beginning to sound like you bought a boat you shouldn't have.
What shape is the transom itself in? Is it rotten?

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

Ouch................ Best of luck with her..............

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

actually the transom is good. I replaced the entire transom assembly , actually I'm in the process of doing so. if I want to replace the actual gimbal assembly that bolts to the transom, do I have to remove the motor ? I'm going to post some pics later of my adventure :/

 

[Bondo]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

if I want to replace the actual gimbal assembly that bolts to the transom, do I have to remove the motor ?

Ayuh,... It's ALL gotta come Out to replace the transom, or the transom assembly...

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

so how far can I replace without pulling the motor? I have all new/used parts to replace everything on the transom. I can see the bolts when I look down the insde of the transom. what is the part I cant do with the motor in. Thank you all for your help. I am putting some pics on this nightmare outdrive.

 

[matthundley]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

what is the part called that actually moves? can that be removed? The part that connects to the steering. im sorry i dont know the names of any of the parts.

 

[cr2k]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

W/O pulling the engine you can change the drive and the bell housing. of course bellows etc. You may still need a shift cable too.

 

[Don S]

Re: thinking this boat I just bought is jacked up!?!

He needs a gimbal housing. The drive and bellhousing were crumbling in his fingers. What chance do you thing the rest of it has.