Bravo 3 won't go into gear

[Painter]

Hi all,
Looking for some input before I haul out for a closer look. 04 Maxum 3100 twin 5.0 mpi Bravo 3 drives. Made a run over to the Gulf Islands this weekend about a 16 mile trip. All was working great pulled straight up to moorage boy and tied up and shut down. Later in the day when i was going to leave for a little run starboard engine wouldn't engage into foreward or reverse. There were no noises, clunks, or rpm spikes just wouldn't engage. Both cables were moving and no difference in the feel. I disconnected the outdrive cable and with the motor running manually shifted it by hand both foreward and reverse with no engagement. I can turn the props by hand and they feel normal with no grinding or anything abnormal. Is it possible that the cable has either broken or come disconnected from from the drive. This boat is new to me this year it has 270 hrs of witch I have put on about 40. This starboard side control has been a bit fussy since i had purchased, meaning when you shift out of neutral you had to give it a little extra pressure to engage in gear. Took this as possibly a stretched cable and was going to replace all of the shift cables this winter as a result. Any thoughts would be appreciated thanks.

[pascavone]

with the engines off, and the engine in gear, go under and try to turn your props.

if you can turn then in gear, with the engine off, then its an out drive gear issue or, the engine coupler behind the motor attached to the fly wheel.

I'm be surprised if both out drives crapped out....

but, the guy sold the boat for a reason..... and it is 8 years old.

[Painter]

Only 1 drive other is fine. Checking as you say is only good if you know it is shifting into gear. If cable is broken or out of the clip it would not be engaged and therefore the prop will spin.

[pascavone]

the throttle cable runs from the helm to the carburetor, then the shift cable, from the carburetor back to the out drive.

you could pull the cover off the top of the engine, and pull the out drive cable manually to put it in gear.

i would run the engine, in gear, and stick my head behind the engine, and see if the drive shaft is turning.

[Painter]

As I have said I disconnected the outdrive cable at the engine and manually put it in gear while running. I have not looked behind the engine to see if the drive shaft is turning because of lack of space, I will see if I can get a mirror or camera back there.

[rodrigo]

Sounds like the shift cable came of the clip in the outdrive.

[Painter]

Just an update. went down to the boat this afternoon with mirror extension to look at coupler and shaft. Unfortunatly coupler is toast so my boating is done for the season. Guessing if I have to pull out 1 motor for the coupler, might as well do the other. Looks like a sh*tty job but I have a good 8 months to getter done. Any tips on pulling these engines would help.
2004 Maxum 3100 twin 5.0 mpi bravo 3

[pascavone]

the good news is its a simple job, eight bolts to the fly wheel and your done.

My insurance paid for it after making a claim on a bottom strike... but, it was tooth and nail with them.

they love to blame it on an existing condition or lack of maintenance, or shaft miss alignment.

The engine come out easier then most cars, its building or renting a A-frame,, some guys uses a tree.




if the aluminum is stripped like mine, then its a bottom strike.
if the rubber do nut is sheared then its from mis alignment of the shaft.

I when back with the heavy duty steel couple, i'd rather break the drive shaft, then then pull the motor again.

more importantly,

i rebuild my transom assembly, with new main transom pin, seat, and seals since then engine was out.


if you noticed the white salt trails, this had been leaking for a long time, and now my blige is dry. most guys redo this every 10 years, and the engine has to come out.