Tough to shift into neutral

[Planetwarmer]

Alpha 1 gen 1.

The drive shifts DNR fine after I start the boat. After I drive across the lake, I have lots of trouble shifting from drive to neutral, and reverse to neutral. If I kill the engine then restart the engine, the problem goes away.

Any ideas? Why would shutting the motor off and restarting it allow the drive to shift smoothly again?

[8318]

There is a switch that kills the engine for a nano second when shifting out of gear into netural. If this switch is not working then their is too much torque being displaced on the gears from the prop turning in the water when you try to shift out of gear.
If this switch is not interupting the engine operation for that nano second just as you try to shift out of gear then the resistance/torque will make it hard to force the drive out of gear.

Check out the shift/kill the engine for a nano second switch.
Dave

[Walt. H.]

Alpha 1 gen 1.
The drive shifts DNR fine after I start the boat. After I drive across the lake, I have lots of trouble shifting from drive to neutral, and reverse to neutral. If I kill the engine then restart the engine, the problem goes away.
Any ideas? Why would shutting the motor off and restarting it allow the drive to shift smoothly again?

Ah' Yeah, not just an idea but know exactly what is wrong but instead of listening to me and saying I'm wrong.
read this.> http://www.nowakes.com/index_files/Page3662.htm

[joseph m. hahnl]

Ouch!!!!!!!!!




Shift interupt switch (#18) out of adjustment. *Note* part no longer available

[Jraysray]

Ouch!!!!!!!!!




Shift interupt switch (#18) out of adjustment. *Note* part no longer available

I found one not to long ago. Look and ye shall find..... No doubt the cause of my problem.

[Planetwarmer]

Ah' Yeah, not just an idea but know exactly what is wrong but instead of listening to me and saying I'm wrong.
read this.> http://www.nowakes.com/index_files/Page3662.htm

That link is really helpful! I am assuming the cable needs a good replacing. I noticed water was being forced up the cable and cooking on the starboard valve cover.

Thanks for the input.

[biggiefl]

Stiff shift cable keeps the shift interupter switch from working properly. If the engine stalls shifting gears it is usually the cable. If it won't come out of gear it is usually the shift interupter switch.

[MOP]

Something I have run into was the interrupter losing ground, take a look at how it is grounded. They use one of the screws going through the switch for a grounding point, a very simple test will tell you if this is the case. Take a jumper wire from the switches ground wire to a good metal ground on the engine, if the problem clears up simply remove the ground wire at the switch clean it and reinstall using an internal star washer. the internal star washer will bit into the screw had assuring ground. What has me thinking it may be related is the fact that it changes just by shutting down and restarting.

[Planetwarmer]

Something I have run into was the interrupter losing ground, take a look at how it is grounded. They use one of the screws going through the switch for a grounding point, a very simple test will tell you if this is the case. Take a jumper wire from the switches ground wire to a good metal ground on the engine, if the problem clears up simply remove the ground wire at the switch clean it and reinstall using an internal star washer. the internal star washer will bit into the screw had assuring ground. What has me thining it may be related is the fact that it changes just by shutting down and restarting.

That does sound like it would be worth a try. I might as well do that anyway!

[Walt. H.]

That does sound like it would be worth a try. I might as well do that anyway!

Also while you have the engine running move the interrupt switch arm on the switch and see if the engine attempts to stall, that will tell you if the switch is working.
If it does work (stall) then check to see if the cam it rides in is moving when you have someone shift the controls for you while the engine is off, it maybe stuck or bent or the cable is stretched and out of adjustment.
But as you mentioned earlier you have water coming into the boat thru the cable opening which certainly means that the shift cable boot has a rip/tear in it so you'll have to remove the drive to replace it and might as well replace the cable if you can't adj, it.

[biggiefl]

New cable & boot. test switch and you should be golden.