Can't shift into gear ?

[dlewis812]

Launched today. Got everything cleaned up, rigged etc. Ready to pull away from the marina to move to our seasonal mooring. Ready to cast off and cannot get into gear??? Even forced it hard and it will not budge? Obviously they would have had it in gear to move to the slip after launching. Am I missing something???

Catalina 30. Edson pedestal

 

[Steve Dion]

Did you try starting the engine and then shifting into gear?

This happens to us all the time if the transmission has been in reverse. Once the engine is started it shifts fine.

 

[dlewis812]

Yes. Engine on; even try shifting with a bit higher rpms

 

[Witzend]

Maybe a linkage problem, go below and try to move the shift arm on the tranny manually.

 

[CalebD]

You probably already checked this but here goes.

Have you checked that your gear shift on your pedestal or in cockpit is actually moving the shift lever in the engine compartment? This is easier to check with 2 people; one at the shift lever in the cockpit/pedestal and one down in the engine compartment.

Hope you can straighten this out.

 

[dlewis812]

we were messing around with what i assume is the original engine controls on port lazerette (before converting to pedestal). possible connection?

 

[CalebD]

The linkage for the shifter (clutch & choke for that matter) is almost always a sleeved wire like the brakes on a bicycle. If the outer sleeve ends are not properly connected it will not deliver the needed range of motion on the tranny.
I'd suggest trying what Witzend mentioned. Get down in the engine compartment and find the shift lever and try to move it by hand - this bypasses the linkage. While you are in there inspect the linkage cable and then the pedestal end. Could be as simple as a loose retaining screw.

 

[Mike Turner]

We've just had the same problem on our 32' schooner. Our shift is a dual-action level (both tranny and throttle) on the side of the cockpit well, similar to what you'd see on a tiller boat, not the Edson pedestal shifter like you have - but the function is the same. You'll need to check (a) is the actual shift lever on the transmission working - can you manually shift thru forward/neutral/reverse; (b) when you toggle the shift lever in the cockpit, does it actuate the shift lever on the transmission?; (c) does the shift lever in the cockpit, articulate the cable on the pedestal end?

For the last you'll need to remove the compass from the top of the binnacle so you can look down into the pedestal to see the lever/cable connection. That's how it was set up on our old Catalina 30 with Edson pedestal.

On our current boat we found that the cable had parted a bit forward of the transmission lever - the cable is routed under the heat exchanger, right next to the pencil zinc; and the cable had completed corroded thru and burst. Couldn't even see it at first because it was covered by the heat exchanger. I'm assuming the corrosion was from years of being subjected to salt water baths when the heat exchanger zinc was checked/replaced. Calls for a new cable.

Good luck tracing thru your problem. It could be something as simple as a loose or disconnected link at either the pedestal lever or transmission lever end. If you find the cable has failed, remove it and measure it, then order the same size Teleflex wire from any of the standard chandleries. Note that the cables come in several different end configurations so you'll want to make sure you order the same type ends (it's probably the "universal" type cable but you can verify that by looking at the type of fittings on the ends. We had to order our cable as none of the local chandleries carried the length we needed with the universal end fittings).

Mike Turner
Lazyjack 32 schooner "Mary'Lis"
Mobile Bay, Alabama

 

[MitchM]

you can actually drive the boat in what ever gear you want for weeks, by manually moving the transmission lever on top of the gearbox. we did this for 3 weeks awaiting new morse cables when the morse cable ('sleeved wire' referenced above ) broke . since our gearbox was close to the cockpit, we ran a rope thru the transmission shift lever and pulled up to go from fwd or reverse into neutral . alas, we had to have the spouse standing over the gear shift lever to push the lever for reverse or forward.. so start in neutral, then have spouse put into correct gear . i marked the directions on the g ear box just in case.
if you have a morse cable, look at the printed numbers on the old one. it will tell you the proper length and style of cable to order as a replacement. and you should replace both the transmission cable and the engine stop at the same time, as both are probably old. by the way morse teleflex recommends greasing the ends of those cables yearly, to keep the wire from freezing up.

when you pull the edson 'compass top', if you have a quadrant wheel type drive, check that the drive chain links are running free and aren't worn or ratty looking. check the stops of the quadrant wheel system. easiest to do this if you already have the compass top off... have some stubby and offset screwdrivers handy for the compass top, they can be a bear to get off. .