[C320-list] Neutral or Reverse

[BAdams3491 at aol.com]

Some have said "Neutral or Reverse",  but not never "Forward".  Why not?
Does it damage the gearbox or cause  the engine to suck in water through the
exhaust or what?

Quentin  Murphy
Celtic Knot #667


Quentin:


Don't ask me to explain this, but here is the  logic:
 
With the transmission in forward the propeller  shaft tends to turn 
clockwise, (viewed from the rear) . As a result, the shifter  spring tends to push the 
mating surfaces of forward large gear and drive cone  together preventing 
movement of the propeller shaft but the tendency of output  shaft to rotate tends 
to separate the mating surfaces because of the spiral  splines, leading to the 
potential for slippage. Whether it slips or not depends  on the through the 
water speed, the condition of the shifter springs and shifter  adjustment, and 
the characteristics of the propeller. Since the action of the  splines and the 
shifter springs are in opposite directions, if movement does  occur, it will 
be with the shifter cone continually engaged, leading to  unnecessary wear of 
the shifter cone and forward large gear mating surface. 

Bert
At Ease
#442



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