Starboard Drive problem

HI everyone...
Boat 1999 Bayliner 3055, twin V8 5.7 Mercruisers , Bravo 2 drives.
I had a problem last Saturday which I am looking for possible answers for rectification..
after 30 mins cruising at 6 knots downstream on River Trent UK I slowed to a stop to let another boat come out from a lock in Newark Uk. I was operating the starboard engine in and out of reverse to do so. After 3 or 4 times doing so the starboard drive selector became unselectable( no notch into reverse or forward) but it would rev. and there was a whining sound .. not loud just a different slightly louder than none sort of noise.

I returned to my marina later on port engine after finding that the starboard engine controls the powered steering so it had to be running which I hope didnt compound any damage. The ammount of whine hasnt increased now I am back

The Marina owner had a quick look at the cables on top and said they were in order and started talking about lifting the boat and cone clutch etc.
I am thinking its a selector mechanism problem

Ive been watching Utube videos all week, to look at a removal and possible faults.

Can anyone suggest a cause.. from the tab off the end of the gear selector cable thats at the top of the leg to a broken drive shaft... which is more likely
... what do the experienced amongst the membership say..

RodUK

 

Check the outer "wrapping" (sorry, can't find the correct word in English) around the inner wire where it enters the drive leg. The steel wires in these "wrappings" corrode, and when broken, it will slide freely, leaving the control wire and the lever in a fixed position, ergo no gear change.

 

If you're lucky, the defect is as Baeckmo described. I think the proper word is sheath.
A simply inexpensive part that unfortunately can only be replaced after lifting the boat and removing the drive leg.

However, the large Bayliner rented by a tourist in my bay last year had a different problem. No gearshift, just a whining sound like yours, turned out to be a toothless engine coupler. Merc uses a light alloy part that fits around the splines of a stainless shaft with a smear of grease. Once the grease has gone and moisture gets in, it is just a matter of time.

 

Your replies

Hi, thanks very much for the advice. Will check both of these when I have her lifted. I am visiting the marina later and will feel for filings around the coupler if I can get a hand to it, even with 11 foot beam it's very tight in there when your not slim and there are 2 big lumps in there with you....( the engines).

 

they only fail if the alignment is wrong

 

They certainly fail when the alignment is off, but in that case the hub tears loose from the rubber damper. The one I saw was badly corroded and had simply lost all splines.
Because the boat was a several years old rental it is very hard to say exactly what caused it, the engine bay may have been flooded more than once.

 

when they are out of alignment they pump all the grease out then go dry and of course then they work the aluminium and its all over eventually.
I've not seen one with a bond failure but you can buy third party ones these days so who knows...
I guess if it was underwater then the older aluminium ones would corrode away?