CN24

I was reading an old issue of Powerboat (May 2005) and there was an article on drive maintenance which included aligning the upper gears. The procedure was to remove the rear cover, remove the shift shaft, linkage and collar. Align the + on the upper gear with the - on the lower and both with the line on the casting of the housing. This aids in shifting. Since I was having a problem shifting into reverse I check it. When the + and - are lined up they're about 1/4" to 1/2" off the line on the casting. How easy, or difficult to pull these gears and align them? Any special tools needed? Do I need to be concerned with shimming or setting the lash? Should I bother? My shifting problem wasn't grinding or banging into gear, It just took a few seconds, maybe 3-7 seconds to engage reverse. I suspected adjustment at the throttle since all the other adjustments have been checked and rechecked until reading this article. Any ideas or options welcome.

oldandtired

The manual states that you should get the marks as close to the centerline as possible. The "backs" of the gears have some wobble designed in to aid in clutch engagement. All that is required to adjust it is removal of the input shaft. When assembling the drive, the input shaft with the pinion gear is inserted and the marks are checked for distance from center. I can't remember exactly how close mine were, but I'm pretty sure that it was less than 1/4". The only special tool required to do the job is the spanner for the input shaft nut. I probably would leave it alone.

Rene