no neutral

[on location]

Speaking of forward and reverse, we have both on our boat, 1965 Pearson Vanguard, but no nuetral. You are either going forward or backward. When I installed a PSS this spring and had the coupler off it seemed as if I could find a place where I could get the shaft to turn independant of the engine but as soon as she was back in the water same old thing, no neutral. Makes coming back to the mooring single handed an adventure to say the least! :eek:

Fair winds, Dave

[Don Moyer]

Dave,

Aside from the trouble you're experiencing coming back to your mooring, the complete absence of neutral means that the forward clutch assembly and the reversing brake band are both likely imposing some small amount of load on the engine at all times.

I recommend that you back off on the 3/4" adjusting nut on the end of the reversing brake band adjusting bolt about one turn. This should give you at least a modicum of neutral zone, while allowing you enough travel to engage reverse.

Remember that the most important step in the entire reversing gear adjustment sequence is to get the forward adjustment the way you want it: a nice snug detent so that the clutch will not slip at the highest power setting, but yet not so tight as to take a weight lifter to shift in and out of forward.

After getting forward set correctly, the width of the neutral zone is determined by the adjustment of the reverse adjustment.

Best regards,

Don