Logo

loud noise when shifting back to neutral

medivh25

New member
just purchased a 1984 chris craft 230 scorp. Had it on the muffs today and when i would go back to neutral there would be a very loud screech not a thud or bang but screech. I could shift back into gear and it would stop instantly from forward or reverse. Any ideas? It would make this noise untill i either shifted or turned the engine off. Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Mercruiser alpha 1

5.7 gm
 
To close this thread ill submit my problem, hopefully it helps others though i really hope this wasnt or isnt your problem. Mine was a misaligned engine do to a rotten stringer. IE motor mount had sunk into the stringer a bit causing a bad situation. Having researched this abit its pretty common and even if your stringers are good you should check engine alignment every now again as it can lead to all sorts of problrms.
 
just purchased a 1984 chris craft 230 scorp.

1..... Had it on the muffs today and when i would go back to neutral there would be a very loud screech not a thud or bang but screech.

2..... I could shift back into gear and it would stop instantly from forward or reverse.


Any ideas? It would make this noise untill i either shifted or turned the engine off. Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Mercruiser alpha 1

5.7 gm


No offense! Perhaps this thread sat inactive for 30 days due to unclear verbiage used to describe the issue.

1.... going from gear back into neutral would be disengaging the dog clutch teeth.
While you may hear a slight mechanical sound during the transition, it would not create a loud noise.

2..... shifting "back into gear" would NOT stop the prop shaft nor the propeller.
Or ............. are you saying that the noise would stop???


To close this thread ill submit my problem, hopefully it helps others though i really hope this wasnt or isnt your problem. Mine was a misaligned engine do to a rotten stringer. IE motor mount had sunk into the stringer a bit causing a bad situation. Having researched this abit its pretty common and even if your stringers are good you should check engine alignment every now again as it can lead to all sorts of problrms.

Yes, annual drive coupler alignment is suggested and/or required.
Misalignment typically causes unwanted wear to the coupler's female splines.



.
 
There is no load at all when not in the water.
Maybe your dog/cat got caught in the prop?

Maybe the person holding the prop lost a finger?

The possibilities are endless....

Maybe have someone else shift and you stand near and listen and try to get a better description so PCK can sleep better.
 
If a rotten stringer collapsed, that's a sign of a very poorly made boat. Stringers are supposed to be made of structural fiberglass laid up over a form. Some boat builders used wood for this form as it is cheap, easy to work and takes fiberglass resin well. However, and you see this far too much, some builders will rely on the wood to do the work. They put a thin layer of resin/glass to cover it and that's it. Sometimes the wood is left exposed or barely even tabbed to the hull.
If your boat is like this, you'll want to rip out those bad stringers and have it rebuilt to take the weight of the engine. Or just sell the boat on to some other starry-eyed noob.
You'll never get the engine and drive aligned or at least get it to stay aligned if the weight of the engine is mushing the structure.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top