Shifting is not finding neutral

[Sailhound]

I noticed today that neutral is not engaging without a bunch of jiggling on the shifter (mounted on pedestal) I also need to hold the shifter back to keep it engaged in reverse. Is something i should be adjusting inside the transmission housing as per the forward/reverse adjustment instructions?

Thanks,
Alex

[hanleyclifford]

Actually, reverse is a "momentary" gear and it is normal to hold it "in gear". It is an overrunning band that stops the drum casing. If you are having trouble finding neutral you need to make adjustments. Do you have the Moyer Marine Operation and Repair Manual?

[jhwelch]

Another reason for needing to "jiggle" is the clamp holding your shift cable inside the pedestal may be slipping. There should be a tightening screw somewhere near the shift lever; make sure it has not backed out a little bit.

[Sailhound]

I have a hard copy of the Atomic manual but I don't have the Moyer manual. I'll grab that today.

[Sailhound]

and I'll check that linkage on the shifter, thanks! I am very leery about messing around with the transmission. WAY outside of my area of expertise. But I guess I'll just have to dig in and learn.

Thanks guys!

[edwardc]

The Atomic 4 doesen't really have a transmission. Its just a reversing gear. In fwd, a set of clutch plates simply locks the whole assembly together and it and the tailshaft turn in unison with the crankshaft. 1:1. No gears involved.

In reverse, the fwd clutch is released, and a friction band tightens around the outside of the reversing gear housing, imobilizing it. This allows the planetary gears inside it to reverse the direction of rotation, and also throws in about an additional 1.3:1 reduction.

[sastanley]

ed, my engine LOVES running at 2,500-2,600 RPM when I throttle her up in reverse!!! She sings a happy tune..along with the screaming gears too..

I am careful to keep a little pressure on my gear shift lever when throttled up though, the engine speed can cause the band to lose its grip.

[ILikeRust]

What the other guys said.

The reversing gear is - if you'll pardon the expression - a paragon of simplicity and elegance in its function. It's got lots of parts, but in terms of how it functions, it's actually pretty simple - and very cool, I think. You do have to hold the lever in reverse - there is no detent like there is when you snap it into forward. And neutral can sometimes be more of a vague notion than a specific, snappily-centered neutral, like on a Toyota or Mazda automobile transmission. It is not at all like that, because - as has been said above - it's not a transmission. It's a clutch pack with a band brake around it and a planetary gear assembly inside.