Gear Lever

[anthony]

My gear /throttle leaver on my cruiser stern does not pull out so my engine can tick over without the prop spinning which can be a pain.

Any idea's how I sort this problem out?

 

Thanks.

[Speedwell]

My gear /throttle leaver on my cruiser stern does not pull out so my engine can tick over without the prop spinning which can be a pain.

Thanks.

Anthony

If your control is one of the usual single lever type, your prop should not turn when you are idling, even without pulling anything out. Have you checked that your cable or gearbox arm are correctly adjusted so that neutral is selected when you return the throttle to idle.

I managed to get mine apart recently but it was just a matter of unscrewing anything that would unscrew and treating it as a 3D jigsaw puzzle.

If this isnt any help, could you describe you control in more detail so there is something to work with.

Arthur

[John Orentas]

Hi Arthur.

 

The control lever is one of the less common types, in this case to enable the engine to be revved without engaging a gear you have to pull the whole thing out by 1/2" or so. I had a very quick look the shaft seems to be seized. I suspect it just needs striping down and lubricating.

[Speedwell]

Hi Arthur.

 

The control lever is one of the less common types, in this case to enable the engine to be revved without engaging a gear you have to pull the whole thing out by 1/2" or so. I had a very quick look the shaft seems to be seized. I suspect it just needs striping down and lubricating.

Hi John

Sound a bit like mine and your solution sounds right, but you shouldn't need to pull it out to get neutral at idle.

Arthur

[anthony]

Thanks for that lads.

 

I just wanted to be sure before i started unscrewing things.

 

It would be just my luck things would spring and pop off and id be left with a pile of bits and a daft look on my face.

 

Ill give it a whirl and see how it works out.

 

Thanks again.

[Chris Lingwood]

Take photos as you go along!

 

You'll thank me later.

[John Orentas]

Thanks for that lads.

 

I just wanted to be sure before i started unscrewing things.

 

It would be just my luck things would spring and pop off and id be left with a pile of bits and a daft look on my face.

 

Ill give it a whirl and see how it works out.

 

Thanks again.

 

Anthony.

 

These things can be very fiddly, bits flying all over the place, before you start pulling it apart give it a good dosing of WD40 that may be all it needs.

 

If you have no luck with it, let me know and I will come over and give you a lift.

[Richard Bustens]

Surely there must be a place between forward and reverse where it finds neutral. it may just need adjusting so it is where you want it to be.

Edited November 24, 2005 by Richard Bustens

[Alastair]

I assume this is a morse style control?

 

If so:

 

Don't dismantle anything!

 

You need to adjust the length of the gear cable - there should be a threaded adjustment at the gearbox end - with the lever in 'neutral' position, turn the adjustment so that the gearbox is in neutral - usually there is a mark on the box indicating this.

Then,(with engine off), put the lever in the forward and reverse positions. Does the gearbox engage fully? some gearboxes have the range of movement marked on them.

 

Once you've done this - tackle the stiff 'knob'. From what you say, I gather you can't pull it out, and hence can't 'rev' the engine out of gear.

 

As John says, this is probably just seized. Morse controls are made with mixture of Al castings and steel - so you get the dreaded Al oxide white powder gumming things up. Get some lub - even just WD40, and (with help if needed), work the gear knob back and forth.

[anthony]

Bloody Hell what a day sod boats I want a motorhome!

 

No IM joking, I think.

 

Ive took the thing apart sprayed wd 40 just about every where it could go and still have nothing working as it should.

There seems to be tension as well preventing it going all the way back and forth.

Ive not took it apart inside fully as advised not to.

 

What shall I do?

 

Ive spent a good hour tits up down the engine bay tightning the prop shaft housing up as water is dripping in which stopped the engine from starting.

IM assuming I must have tightened it too much so i slacked it off a bit.

Engine bays are no fun in this weather to say the least.

 

PLus i cant get the bloody floor up to mop the water up under the calourifier because my grips are useless.

IM just hoping water dont go everywhere once i get the nuts on the pipes undone.

There is no shut off either from the engine to the colourifier.

Im just waiting for the big one.

IM not scraping anywhere.

Lesson learnt never buy a boat from a f ing Irish man.

[Keeping Up]

My gear /throttle leaver on my cruiser stern does not pull out so my engine can tick over without the prop spinning which can be a pain.

Any idea's how I sort this problem out?

Just drifting marginally off topic; we wanted twin lever controls on our boat (one for speed, one for gears). Eventually our builder found one and fitted it; when we had a slight problem with it a few yearas later I enquired about spares; turned out it was the control for an obsolete twin-engined Italian hovercraft. Needess to say, spares were not obtainable so I had to dismantle it and rebuild it.

[John Orentas]

I have a confession, when I built my present boat I fitted a speed-wheel and gear lever, both mechanisms are more difficult than you might think to design and make especially the wheel as I wanted a full rotation to full power.

But I never wear a spotted handkerchief around my neck and have never owned a bowler.

[david and julie]

If you have no luck with it, let me know and I will come over and give you a lift.

 

Thats handy to know John, what are you like on woodwork?

[John Orentas]

Thats handy to know John, what are you like on woodwork?

 

 

I'm pretty good, a chap on my mooring left me his keys so I could sort out his Mahogany cabin lining, I had the lot out in under an hour.

It looks nicer in my boat than it ever did in his.