Can you help me diagnose?

[ajgaines]

I finally got everything hooked up and working great. The engine starts in an instant. I believe all the lines are hooked up great. But the shifting of gears seems a little off.

I start the engine on what I think is neutral, but generally speaking when it starts the propeller shaft rotates in forward just a little bit(usually around 800rpm). Then I can shift it into forward and I feel the noticeable click as it shifts and the shaft will increase speed. Then I can shift it back out of forward. Then as I move the handle towards reverse the engine will get much louder and speed up as the propeller shaft starts to actually stop and reach "neutral." then as I go further into reverse the shaft will actually move in the reverse direction and the engine will speed up more and more.

What makes it confusing is if I go through the cycle again it will generally be different. It seems as if "neutral" will choose to be wherever it wants. Sometimes the prop shaft stops spinning at the same time the rpms are at their lowest. Sometimes the engine will rev up really high as the prop shaft stops spinning. I'm just not really sure what "normal" is and I'm afraid to take the boat out until its consistent as I will have to feel for a different neutral every time.

Does anyone know if this is normal or what I can adjust to remedy?

Cheers!!

[tenders]

It sounds as though you may have a little bit of play in your shifting cable. Trace it back from the cockpit to the engine, and make sure that it's firmly attached at each contact point and ONLY the inner rod is moving back and forth where it connects to the transmission. The outer shell might wiggle or shake as the inner rod responds to the transmission lever, but it should not slide at all.

You might be having some issues with the throttle cable too. Is it similarly firmly attached at each point until it reaches the carburetor? The transmission cable should not interfere with the throttle cable at all, either.

It is completely normal for the exact "neutral" location of the transmission to be a little vague, and even for the shaft to turn a bit while it's in "neutral," but your description of finding it in a very different place at each shift made me think of the cable.

It is also normal for the engine in reverse to make a different noise than in forward, even at the same throttle position, because the gear ratio in reverse is gentler than in forward.

You can also look at the lever on the transmission (instead of the lever you manipulate in the cockpit) for the definitive answer on what the state of the transmission is in. Reach in and adjust that directly to confirm that the neutral position is in a relatively consistent place.

[ajgaines]

I tore through the whole thing and actually opened up the whole steering column and reattached where it attaches to the steering column. As far as I can tell the cable is fine all the way through and it does not interfere with the throttle cable.. But I believe the line is not original and is perhaps longer than the original. There is a bit of space between the steering column and shifting lever on the engine for it to wind a few times. Could it be that that is just too much distance and it's able to warp in the middle?

I am also just very confused why the rpm always increases as I go further into reverse as there is no connection to the throttle cable...

[JOHN COOKSON]

I tore through the whole thing and actually opened up the whole steering column and reattached where it attaches to the steering column. As far as I can tell the cable is fine all the way through and it does not interfere with the throttle cable (but yet it does!).. But I believe the line is not original and is perhaps longer than the original. There is a bit of space between the steering column and shifting lever on the engine for it to wind a few times. Could it be that that is just too much distance and it's able to warp in the middle?

I am also just very confused why the rpm always increases as I go further into reverse as there is no connection to the throttle cable...

One way to solve this contradiction: Watch at the engine while someone topside shifts.
What year, make, and model is your boat? Since you suspect it is not the original cable maybe someone in the forum with a boat like yours will be able to help you sort it out.

ex TRUE GRIT

[ndutton]

I am also just very confused why the rpm always increases as I go further into reverse as there is no connection to the throttle cable...

If you have an Edson pedestal, the outer sheaths of the throttle and shift cables are anchored inside by a common clamp. If that clamp is not secured properly or the cables not seated in their index your symptom could certainly result.

If your system is a Merriman-Teleflex-Yacht Specialties brand, I don't recall how the engine control cables are attached so I can't comment specifically.

[ajgaines]

The boat is a 1980 Catalina 30. The cables appear to be clamps well on both sides. I opened up the center pedestal and reattached the clamp in there so I know that one is good and the ones near the engine are much more obvious and don't move at all

[Dave Neptune]

A, is the shifting consistant now? Remember that in reverse "you" are what holds the trans in reverse!

Dave Neptune