2000 340 V Drive Quits Working?

[JeffMendenhall]

Today we took the boat out for the first time. Cruised down to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, spun around and started heading back. Now I will preface this story as this happened to me last year when I bought the boat and the symptom went away. So, after we spun around and were heading back, I felt the starboard transmission kick in and out of gear a couple times, but then quit. Got back to the end of the no wake zone, and let her rip and nothing on the starboard side. I shifted back and forth and nothing. So we cruised about 15 minutes on port engine and shifted starboard back in and it engaged. Brought the boat up on plane and 5 minutes later it kicked out of gear again. And it would not go into reverse either. So motored in and tried it several times and nothing.

So, I asked the Marina to check it out. This is mechanical linkage, so not sure what is inside the transmission that could cause this.

Someone else said to check the shaft key ways on the prop.
Any ideas or has anyone experienced something similar?

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Bt Doctur]

I`d start by checking the oil and hope it`s not plain water from a bad trans cooler.
Velvets act the same when filled with salt water.

 

[JeffMendenhall]

I checked the oil, andit was ok. I was wondering if it could somehow be an overtemp problem. I know there is a sensor on it, but not sure beyond that what could go on if the cooler was bad.

 

[PicoPico]

is it stern drives?

 

[rondds]

He has inboard v-drives, thus the Velvet Drive transmissions. Stern drives do not have transmissions - all the gearing is in the drive unit.

 

[trit21]

Might want to check the linkage to make sure it is fully engaging the unit in forward and reverse. That would be my first thought. Could be a cable that is bad as well.