[RobH2]

My engaging the transmission has always been really firm, like you say, harder than anticipated. But, it's the only Atomic 4 i've ever driven so I have nothing to compare to. Mine might be absolutely normal. But, I'm used to it, it's been the same for 14 years since I bought it.

I did to a tuneup, but checked the RPM afterwards to see if I gained anything. I might have gained 500RPM or so but it really was close to where it's always been on my RPM meter. So, nothing odd there.

But, after that tuneup, literally two days later, I checked the RPM again before doing the transmission adjustment and it was the same. Then, after the transmission tune up and then, "tune back down", I see the RPM change. That's what had me wondering if it could still be engaged and pushing, but also slipping. I have a friend with a Westerbeke who has has a lot of transmission slippage and overheating.

I know our transmissions are different and from reading all of you guys forum posts, I assumend that either it's "in" in forward or "out" and can't be inbetween and slipping. I think that's what I'm hearing, that in 'forward', it can't slip. I ran it for an hour yesterday under full power and everything was fine, just much higher in RPM than ever before.