Actuator alert - then no start???

skunkman

Active Member
May 27, 2014
452
Longboat Key
Boat Info
2014 330 DA sold
Current boat 2021 Formula 350CBR
Engines
Triple 350 Mercury Verado
I was out Saturday and I got a critical alert indicating a problem with the actuator of the port engine. Told me to return to port immediately. I was pulling up to a sand bar and when in neutral the port engine continued to turn the props. I shut both engines down and when I tried to re-start the port engine would not. Any thoughts?
 
Need more info about engines and especially what drive system you have.

But, sounds like a shifting issue - what exactly did the message say? Have you had the codes pulled, yet?
 
"Critical Alert- problem with port engine actuator. Return to port immediately"

The engines are stern drive Mercury 350s
 
Digital throttle and shift

Look for an electric motor on the starboard valve cover which pushes and pulls a lever to move the shift cable.
 
97E9C9C9-7C7B-41D3-9B32-E11E35D81AF7.jpeg

This is the only picture that i have of mine. It’s on the left side of the photo. The actuator pushes and pulls the boomerang shaped arm.
The shift cable is attached to the end of the boomerang arm.
 
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I have a mechanic (not MarineMax) coming out tomorrow to figure it out. The event made me realize how important it is to have everyone on board know how to kill the engines. This could have turned into a very dangerous situation.
 
Assuming you have DTS, one thing with that system is that it is very much voltage dependent. When it doesn't get the voltage it likes to see, if goes into fault mode - or sometimes does strange things. But that's good you have someone coming over to look at it as he/she can do more by being there in person. Double check that they are well versed in DTS and have the proper scan tool.
 
Assuming you have DTS, one thing with that system is that it is very much voltage dependent. When it doesn't get the voltage it likes to see, if goes into fault mode - or sometimes does strange things. But that's good you have someone coming over to look at it as he/she can do more by being there in person. Double check that they are well versed in DTS and have the proper scan tool.

I do have DTS and the mechanic talked to me as if he knew a great deal about it.
 
I needed to replace an actuator in my 2011 SR (received a similar warning as you), then I had to have the actuator cable adjusted (separate incident), and then my 2017 Formula needed an actuator replacement (because, like you, it decided to keep moving forward while I shifted into neutral...fortunately I thought about the engine kill option as well, and agree it was an important lesson to learn).

I'm of the opinion that the manufacturing process for these actuators is not so hot.
 
My "new" mechanic has been dragging his feet getting out to my boat. I checked the engine last weekend and the shift actuator had the boat stuck in forward. I disconnected the shift cable, placed it in what I thought was neutral and the engine started. I tried again and the engine did not start. Here is my dilemma - should I just replace the actuator myself ($685 part) or wait on the mechanic or try to find another mechanic? I would hate to replace to actuator and find out that there is something else wrong making the actuator itself malfunction.
 
After the engine started, did the actuator move to “forward” on its own?
 
I put the engine in neutral manually after disconnecting the cable from the actuator. The engine started and the actuator moved the lever to what would have been a neutral position from its stuck forward position. Checking the actuator I compressed the piston (essentially moving the actuator back into a forward position - don't ask me why) After that I could not restart after trying several positions with the cable. The actuator is in the forward position. I hope that makes sense.
 
With all power off, Move the curved arm so that the neutral switch is pressed in by the end of the arm. This is the neutral position. The neutral switch is the 2 wire switch mounted right next to the actuator. If that button isn’t compressed, the computer thinks the drive in in gear (forward or reverse) and the engine will not start.

Start the engine and see if the actuator stays in that same neutral position.

When you disconnect the shift cable, can you push and pull it manually and see if the outdrive shifts easily?
 
Thank you I will try that - the cable moves easily manually. Perhaps the actuator is working intermittently and that is the one time I got a start. I thought it was me moving the cable!!!
 
Just a thought - recently MarineMax pulled that engine to repair my transom plate. To do so would you have to unplug the actuator? Just wondering if I have a bad connection.
 
FYI, here’s an issue I had with my neutral switch last year. It’s not exactly what you are describing, but it does explain a little more how that switch is used by the ecm.

http://clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/350-mag-dts-no-power-problem-and-resolution.85668/


Great save!!!!!

That you for educating me - I'm starting to figure this out. I am able to manually compress the actuator but I can't pull it out manually to get it into the neutral position. The time it started was likely the actuator moving into the proper position during that one attempt. Once I compressed the actuator the neutral kill switch is preventing the engine from starting.
 
I don’t think the individual actuator connector needs to be disconnected.

I believe there are 1 or 2 main connectors to separate the engine harness from the hull side of the harness.
 

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