Mercruiser 43L Cable or Coupler

"I was out the other day and w

"I was out the other day and when I put it in gear it made a bit of a grinding noise. As I was getting up on plane the one engine dropped out of gear and started to wind out. I dropped it into neutral and it seemed to be running fine. It did heat up a little, but I thought that might be from winding out. I could not get it back in gear, and it made no noise, just rev when pushing the stick forward. I didn't smell the rubber burning smell that normally comes with frying the coupler. When got back to the dock, i noticed that the gear lube was very low.
I have heard that I fried the coupler and I have heard that I just need a new shift cable to the stern drive. Would anyone care to share their opinion on which they think it is? Thanks"

"First I would fill up the gea

"First I would fill up the gear lube then I would run it and see if you are getting cooling water at the transom outlet ports. If not, the main vertical shaft is not turning, and you have either fried the upper drive gears, or the vertical shaft, or the coupler is slipping. If you are getting cooling water, the lower gears are shot or the lower shift cable needs replacing.
Rod"

"Just a thought, but did you h

"Just a thought, but did you hit anything in the water when this happened? Just asking because I've been down that road! Hit a log with the prop while running down the Ohio River and broke the vertical shaft in the outdrive. Engine ran fine but no prop turn in either gear. Seems the shafts have a tendency to break where an o-ring goes about halfway up the shaft.
Had to replace the lower since the horizontal shaft was bent also.

Jack"

Jack;
That was one expensive

Jack;
That was one expensive log!
Rod

"No, didn't hit anything.

"No, didn't hit anything. It doesn't sound like it is trying to go into a gear. When I push it foward or reverse, it just revs, as if I still has it in neutral."

"Ed;
Are you getting cooling

"Ed;
Are you getting cooling water flow; yes or no????
That will tell the story about which part is not working.
If yes, the vertical shaft is turning and the lower gears are not shifting for some reason (shift cable or gears).
If no, then either the upper gears or the coupler is shot.
Rod"

"not tryin to state the obviou

"not tryin to state the obvious but sounds like something in your lower unit blew out....happened to me last year, and cost my 2k to replace the thing........ "

"Yep, got the bad new today.

"Yep, got the bad new today. I checked to see if it was the cable and it was not, so had to take it in. At first they thought it was just the coupler, but now I need new upper gears in my stern drive. It is going to cost around that. Thank you everyone for your thoughts."

"Let's hope it's just

"Let's hope it's just the upper gears, and that the filings did not get into the lower gears and chew them up as well!!
Make sure they flush the lower gear unit well.
Rod"