Trouble finding neutral on transmission

[BostonSailor]

It's hard to find a neutral position so that the prop doesn't turn. I've tried to follow Moyer's directions and have fiddled with the transmission cable, forward adjustment collar, and reverse tension adjustments to the point where I'm not sure where I am at all!

I have a 1979 Pearson 30 with the original cockpit shifter, not a pedestal shifter. Plenty of "throw" in both directions.

Forward and reverse work well when engaged. When in "neutral", the prop still turns at about 180 rpm (engine idling at about 600). If I pull the shifter back toward reverse, it can get it to stop, but it sounds like reverse is starting to engage, so perhaps forward and reverse are pulling against each other?

To find neutral, I disconnected the shift cable and manipulated the shift arm on the A4 manually. I could clearly feel the forward detent, and it also felt like there was a neutral detent. Question: Is there a neutral detent or is it my imagination? This is the step I've had the most problem with. There is definitely a position in the A4 shift arm that feels like a neutral detent, and I've been favoring that.

I understand that adjusting the reverse tension actually moves the shift position where reverse starts to engage. Does adjusting the forward adjustment ring also move the position at which forward starts to engage or is that basically fixed and the ring only adjusts the plate tension when in gear?

I'm going to assume that the forward adjustment does NOT affect "when" forward starts to engage.

Now that I've completely messed with everything, I need to start "clean" and set everything up. I'm considering the following plan:
1) Loosen the reverse tension a LOT so that it's out of the way and not an issue.
2) Disconnect the shift cable and manually find the shift position where the prop stops turning. Question: Will it ever fully stop turning or will it always creep a little bit in neutral?
3) Set the cockpit shift arm to the neutral position, line up the shift cable and reattach so that neutral on the transmission is neutral on the cockpit shift arm.
4) Test reverse and see if it needs to be tightened.

I'm not looking forward to this, since I have to remove the transmission cover, make an adjustment, replace the cover, test, remove the cover, make an adjustment ... If I'm going to do it again, I'd like to get it right this time.

Deeply appreciate hearing from experienced voices.

[JOHN COOKSON]

I've been down this exact same road. I adjusted this, changed that, in the trany and cabling. I never could get neutral where I felt it should be on the shift lever. Finally gave up. Neutral ended up being where it was\wanted to be - about 11 o'clock on the shift lever. They all lived happily ever after. You will get used to it. Promise.

ex TRUE GRIT

[ndutton]

There is no neutral. There is forward with a positive detent, there is reverse with no detent and if properly adjusted, a sweet spot between the two where the shaft does not turn.