Engine stalls out when boats in water only

"lee reinertsen
Member
User

"lee reinertsen
Member
Username: leemar3

Post Number: 5
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Saturday, April 19, 2008 - 08:10 pm:

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Hi, If someone could help me I would appreciate
it.
I have a 1996 bayliner/mercruiser 3.0XL 19'
Did a complete tune-up to start the season w/no problems, but as it happens good maintenance don't guarantee trouble free summer. Anyway, ran engine at home w/water hook-up all week every day with full tank of gas. Motor runs great/strong. Shift to foward gear or reverse no problem. Took it to ramp, put in water: all hell broke loose. Engine doesn't want to start. Long time trying. After a while it started. I allowed it to warm-up for about 10min. I pulled out and tried to accelerate and engine starts to idle up and down like w/no power and stalled, and cut out. Again won't start for a while. Later it started up again. Try to move again and same thing happens. Continue having the same problem for about 2 hours. Then it wouldn't start anymore. Got towed back to ramp. Took it back home, hooked up the water. It started rite up , accelarates, shifts foward & reverse everything's good again turned it off start it up everything working fine Ran engine for about 30mins idle's steady ran great. Went back to water and the same thing happens as soon as boat gets submerge again only when stern drive is completely submerged no matter if trim is up or down. Came back home and again starts right up runs fine. Something happens when stern is submerged. Also, I think it's called the shift interrupt switch, on top of engine block. When boats in water and I put boat in gear and go back to neutral or reverse the engine goes off and I have to move switch back w/my hand, back to the middle if not the engine won't start. If boat is in water only. When boat is on trailer w/water hook-up engine accelates does not cut out could shift into gear back to neutral or reverse everything works fine. Could make you crazy. Again Would appreciate any help. Thank you."

"Bad shift cable, switch shoul

"Bad shift cable, switch should only work in water.It never works on land."

you need a shift cable.

you need a shift cable.

"hey, thank you guys you'r

"hey, thank you guys you're great. Is that a hard job or at lease could you tell me what would it cost on parts and labor.
thx again"

"Hi, can someone explain what&

"Hi, can someone explain what's the funtion of the shift cutout switch that's sits ontop of the valve cover on mercruiser 3.0 inboard/ outboard

thank you."

"$60.00 for the cable, extra e

"$60.00 for the cable, extra extra long 9/16ths socket(weld 2 together)
150-180 depending
When the prop is in gear in the water the torque prevents the gears from easily coming apart. When you try to move the control to come out of gear you activate the switch. It puts a momentary miss/stall/burble in the ign. circuit allowing the gears to come apart.It should only activate coming OUT of gear.On land there is no prop torque."

"Hi again, Is It possible that

"Hi again, Is It possible that the Inital problem
that I'm having be cause by the shift cutout switch instead of the shift cable, In other words
out of adjustment on the cutout switch, and if not
what should be the labor on changing the shift cable cause the job seems ratter complex.

thanks for your help."

"Well, being that you stated &

"Well, being that you stated "you" have to move the switch back to center either the switch arm cannot rock freely or the shift cable is bad.

"When boats in water and I put boat in gear and go back to neutral or reverse the engine goes off and I have to move switch back "

There is no adjustment of the switch itself,when the arm rocks, the switch activates.If the shift cable is damaged it won`t move freely and it holds the switch in the active position and the motor dies."

Bt Doctur I really appreciate

Bt Doctur I really appreciate your help.

thx.