A4 transmission stuck in Forward

[Robs Hubris]

Hello gang.

My 1981 Catalina 30 with an Atomic 4 has a problem. While getting hauled this fall, the transmission became stuck in forward gear. I just turned off the ignition, coasted into the hoist straps and assumed it was just a problem with the cabling.

However, I took a closer look and found that the actual transmission appears stuck in gear. I've worked on/applied pressure/oomph to the manual gear lever attached to the trans/engine assembly and it's stuck hard.

Any advice? My usual mechanic won't even look at it when it's up on stilts (Michigan) and I don't see how I can launch it without getting it back to neutral.

Any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Rob Anderson
Hubris

[Dave Neptune]

Did you disconnect the shifting cable before trying to work the lever on the trans? Is it a direct drive trans or something else?

Dave Neptune

[Robs Hubris]

I didn't detach the cable ... it is stripped/loose from my attempts to jam it out of gear during the haul out adventure.

I don't know what a direct drive is.

thx.

[ArtJ]

A direct drive means that the propeller shaft turns once for one engine
revolution

[Dave Neptune]

A direct drive is a 1:1 drive and is as I believe what most all Cat 30''s were equipped with.

Do detach the cable from the shifting lever on the trans. The cable can be frozen inside the sleeve and be extremely difficult to budge. With the cable detached try using a strong amount of force on the lever. If it does not shift and the lever can be moved slightly in both directions then something could be amiss inside the trans. The cone adjustment could be to tight which requires a lot of force when properly adjusted, this is the detent adjustment. If the force on the lever does not does not release the shifter lever then remove the four bolts and lift the cover off. Take a good look inside for rust or something misaligned as far as the pawls that go into the detent on the cone. You should be able to move the cone and or the pawls slightly in both directions.
If you remove the cover and it looks rusty and or broken parts post a pic and someone should be able to diagnose the problem.

Dave Neptune

[hanleyclifford]

https://youtu.be/B7Qc0HZ2juA Watch this.

[Robs Hubris]

Thanks for the Moyer video ... this is still probably beyond my mechanical abilities, but I have a starting point for understanding the components.

Dave: I did undo the four cover bolts and look inside the trans ... it looked well-oiled with no rust and I could see no obvious problem - although I really had no idea what I was looking at.

I'll go back, detach the cable and take another look now that I have some info from the video and take a photo. I really think something's stuck inside the trans as it's locked hard with no movement ... but I'll take another look.

Thanks much for the input/help.

[Robs Hubris]

Mechanics look fine and not rusted. Shifter lever at the engine stuck rock solid.

I tried to disconnect the cable and got the cotter pin out of the bolt, but could not get the bolt out. Is this the best way to disconnect the shifter cable?

[hanleyclifford]

Can you spin the clutch and drum assembly around to expose the adjuster?

[joe_db]

You can't get this off?

[hanleyclifford]

You can't get this off?

That clevis pin has been damaged probably by channel locks or a vise grip but it will come out with sufficient application of violence.

[Dave Neptune]

The trans does look fine. If you can rotate the trans to expose the adjusting collar locking screw you may be able to back it off and make getting past the detent easier.

I also do not see a lot of clearance below the shifting arm to the hull. Is it possible it is sitting on the hull because something slipped or broke during the haul out? I really doubt this possibility but I thought it worth mentioning.

You may be able to dremel /grind off the end of the pin so it will push through. Looks like the some channel locks really chewed up the end that needs to push through.

Dave Neptune

[Robs Hubris]

You can't get this off?

Nope - got the cotter pin off, cleaned it up and oiled it, but could budge the bolt.

I'm assuming the end with the cotter pin slot should slide out - correct?

[Dave Neptune]

Yes the cotter pin end should slide through, might take some force though as it looks chewed up a bit.

Dave Neptune

[Robs Hubris]

The trans does look fine. If you can rotate the trans to expose the adjusting collar locking screw you may be able to back it off and make getting past the detent easier.

I also do not see a lot of clearance below the shifting arm to the hull. Is it possible it is sitting on the hull because something slipped or broke during the haul out? I really doubt this possibility but I thought it worth mentioning.

You may be able to dremel /grind off the end of the pin so it will push through. Looks like the some channel locks really chewed up the end that needs to push through.

Dave Neptune

I did not try to rotate it ... I immediately thought of it after getting home and looking at the photo, realizing that the adjusting screw I saw in the Moyer video was not exposed.

I'm going to watch the video again and make a run at it on the next trip. Running out of time during busy week.

I think the proximity of the shifting arm to the hull is a photographic thing. There is sufficient clearance - the same set-up for the last 17 years of operation.

Thanks for the dremel suggestion! I did get some major bang on that end of the bolt and it would not go through.