1.5 bmc not engaging gear

[Idle boater]

Hi, i have a boat with a 1.5 bmc, due to location and cercumstances it has not moved from its mooring for over 12 months, although we do use it as a floating cottage and intend to cruise the system when i retire (soon i bloody hope). So although we run the engine to heat the water it has not been in gear for a good while, i now find it will not engage gear at it should.

 

Your input and thoughts would be appreciated ?????

 

many thanks Mike.

[alan_fincher]

What we need to know more than it is a BMC is what gearbox does it have.

 

There are a large range of possibilities, including variants of PRM-Newage, Hurth, TMP, and others.

 

Can you identify what yours is, or, if not, post some pictures, so somebody else can.

 

Is it that you can move the gear lever to where it should be, but drive does not then engage properly, or is it that the gear lever itself will not fully move to the expected position?

 

Does this happen just in forward gear, just in reverse gear, or both?

 

Did it use to work fine, and is the failure sudden between when it would and when it does not, or has there been a deterioration over a period of use?

 

More information needed!

[bottle]

Alan is not wrong but you could try moving the lever that is on the gearbox.

 

It could be so many things like a seized cable, broken cable etc.

[Colin North]

FWIW I had a similar problem to this.

My issue was that the little button at the bottom of the controller would not 'pop' back out to allow the gear to engage either forward or reverse. When you start the engine or use it for heating water etc., this button has to be pressed in. The action of returning the throttle joystick to the 'neutral' position should allow the button (underneath the controller) to 'pop' out with a definite click.

I found mine to be stuck in. I removed the screws holding the controller to the bulkhead, removed a few years worth of sticky grease, manually operated the 'pop-in/out' action of the button, applied a little new grease and it has been OK since.

HTH

[RLWP]

FWIW I had a similar problem to this.

My issue was that the little button at the bottom of the controller would not 'pop' back out to allow the gear to engage either forward or reverse. When you start the engine or use it for heating water etc., this button has to be pressed in. The action of returning the throttle joystick to the 'neutral' position should allow the button (underneath the controller) to 'pop' out with a definite click.

I found mine to be stuck in. I removed the screws holding the controller to the bulkhead, removed a few years worth of sticky grease, manually operated the 'pop-in/out' action of the button, applied a little new grease and it has been OK since.

HTH

 

Colin, that's brilliant! It really demonstrates the perils of diagnosis by forum too. I would have spotted that on a real boat, and never have thought of it sat at my pooter

 

Richard

[Idle boater]

Thanks gents, Colins post had hit the button right on the head, that is exactly what is happening, when the lever is pushed forward or backwards the little button is drawn in, instead if snapping out, so indeed i will remove the casing from its mount and have a wee look see,

 

Thanks, Mike.

[bizzard]

I suggest when a cruiser type boat with the control column out in the weather to cover it over with a bin bag when not in use to keep it dry. They do tend to seize up with the muck in the air and acidy rain trickling into them. Lubricate them occasionally too.

[Idle boater]

Thanks Bizzard when i get it sorted i will indeed make a cover for it,

 

Thanks, Mike.