Weird drive issue - I'm stumped!!!
 

My buddy's King Cobra has "popped" out of gear a few times. I figured it was the shift cable.

It isn't. When you put the drive in gear you can grab the prop and turn it about 1/4 turn until it fully "locks". Then you can turn it just a smidge(1/4") in the opposite direction and again turn the prop a 1/4 turn. You can do this over and over. It's not the prop hub the prop shaft is turning. I also checked the engine coupler and the input shaft is NOT spinning. So, somewhere between the propshaft and the input shaft the drive is "slipping".

This is the newer cone clutch style drive so the basics should be the same as a Bravo.

I'm stumped!

isn't this normal? When in gear and the engine not running the prop will normally spin one direction freely, in the other direction it will lock.

It's spins freely in one direction. And in the other you can also spin it about a 1/4 turn at a time. There is resistance there but it doesn't "lock" like it should. I'm thinking the cone clutch isn't engaging fully for some reason?

when you turn the prop backwards, it unlocks the cone, when you turn it the other direction, it takes the cone a moment to lock back up, this is a normal reaction for a cobra. adj, the shift linkage, make sure you have the right oil in the drive, and go boating.

Does it do this while under power, and when it happens does it feel like he hit something? Sounds like it may be a clutch dog.
Steve

Yep, my other friends KC does the same thing! Weird. My Bravo doesn't do it. Thanks for the explanation!

BTW what do you have in your 280 cat? That boat is on my short list!

No, I just noticed it when I was checking to make sure it was going into gear while adjusting the linkage.