with the key in your pocket ,shift into fwd , have someone watch the input shaft while someone steps on the prop blade to turn it.
prop turns, shaft does=engine coupler
prop turns, shaft dosent= outdrive issue

 

If it still feels like it's shifting in and out of gear, the prop does not turn, and you hear a whizzing sound when in gear, its your coupler.

The engine has to be pulled to replace it.

 

Hang on guys. What model drive is it? The Alphas and Bravos have completely different gear trains, some versions also having hub-less props. If it is a Bravo of any stripe, the last thing he should be doing is shifting it with the engine off.

Henry

 

It is a bravo drive

 

The std propulsion for his boat was 5.0/Bravo 3.

 

Thanks for the suggestions but it didn't shift out of gear the prop just stopped turning when I gave it just a very small amount of throttle . When I put it into neutral and then back into drive that is when it sounds like a small whizzing/whining

 

It is probably the coupling between the engine and outdrive. The splines of the outdrive shaft are steel and the coupling is a soft metal prone to stripping out. parts are not to bad , labor is high for pulling the engine. Mine was about $1,500 total.

 

Could be as simple as the lower shift cable. Has it ever been replaced? Have you ever had the Bravo 3's bellows replaced?

 

Not sure about either question, I have only had it for 2 years now

 

Thanks everyone for their suggestions, I can't seem to find anything myself so I'll take it in tomorrow. Heres hoping it isn't too serious.

 

nothing on a boat that money and/or time can't fix......

good luck.....

cliff

 

BTW, welcome to CSR!

 

It seems kind of odd to me that the engine coupling would fail at basically idle speed. Makes me wonder if it is a clutch or lower shift cable issue. If the clutch failed and disengaged and only partially re-engaged when shifted into gear it might exhibit the systems Rob is experiencing.

Henry

 

I had my coupler go out 3 years ago coming into a fuel dock at idle it sounded just like OP said rpms went up a bit then a whirling sound from the coupler rotating around the drive shaft, stripped all the splines off the coupler, we had just been going down a waterway for 1 mile in a no wake zone. I was really surprised it happened at idle speed but we were just heading up North it could have been a 20 mile tow back in instead of 1 mile.

 

I've had all three failures mentioned here on my previous boat (270 w/B3).

The shift cable symptom:
Would only go forward, no reverse. This depends on how the cable fails... in my case the jacket separated from the brass fitting right at the B3 shift lever.

The clutch symptom:
When I would put it in gear, there would be a 3-4 second hesitation before it would clunk into gear

The coupler symptom:
As I was pulling up to raft with a friend, it suddenly just started making a wiz sound when in either gear, prop would not move.

 

Thanks Jim, its a great site. I checked the linkage and it seems to be moving no problem, so sounding more like a coupler problem all the time

 

Strange, this exact same thing happened to me this weekend, mine is an alpha 1 outdrive however, turned out to be a pin on the shift cable that had come out, according to tbe marina anyway, it's fixed now.

 

I hope it's not a clutch...I just rebuilt my upper to the tune of $2600. Fingers crossed for you. PS- don't be tempted to buy a used drive on ebay like I did...I got screwed hard and it's not worth the savings.

 

Hi. I just had the same problem 3 weeks ago. Running about 4mph in no wake zone...then whizzing sound..no forward or reverse. Turned out to be my coupler. Stripped all the splines out. Pulled my engine and replaced. Double checked alignment. All good to go.

 

Sounding more and more like the coupler and to make matters worse, I can't get it into the shop till next week and probably will take a few days after that before I get it back. Crap, there goes half of Aug....

 

any independent marine mechanics in the area?.....they may be able to work you in sooner than the marina.....any compotent marine mechanic should be able to do this job as long as they have the ability to pull the engine out of the boat.....

cliff

 

I pulled my motor (coupling replacement) at a rack and stack storage place. Put in a work rack and tipped the forklift driver $50...took around 4 - 6 hours as I recall. It was a few years ago, but was a simple process.

 

Yup, bang on correct. I suspected as much but it was confirmed today, thanks again

 

Yeah a local guy is going to do it tomorrow. Probably was going to be a week and a half at the dealer.

 

Make sure he aligns the engine or you'll be putting another one in soon.

 

Crap never even thought about that, Thanks.
While I have a few expert opinions , what would anyone recommend for a decent inverter?

 

We recommend you start another thread for a totally different topic... you will still get many "expert opinions". :smt001