2qm15 not shifting

[Banjoman]

I've recently acquired a Yanmar 2 qm15. The shift lever moves freely, but it is not shifting and is stuck in forward gear. The cover plate at the shift lever is too close to the hull to remove and inspect without lifting the engine. Any thoughts out there on what it could be or how I can diagnose this with pulling the engine?

[Badsanta]

If your shift lever moves and the gear does not either the cable is broken or disconected. Can you move the shift lever on the trans by hand? What happens if you start it?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Banjoman.

Try disconnecting the cable at the transmission, and operating the gearbox control lever.

➥ http://boatinfo.no/lib/yanmar/manual.../page_l109.swf

➥ http://j30.us/files/2qm15_servicemanual.pdf

[Banjoman]

The cable is disconnected. What I have described is happening at the gear box shift lever. The lever moves freely, but the gear is in forward and will not go to neutral or reverse.

[Sailmonkey]

What make of transmission is attached to your engine?

[Banjoman]

It is the original transmission that came with the 2qm15, a Kanzaki-Carl Hurth KBW10 reduction reversing gear. It is the one that is in the. Service manual for the engine.

[sailorchic34]

Sounds like someone pulled the top of the transmission and reinstalled it without making sure the shift lever was engaged properly. The top cover that the shifter is mounted too, requires an exact position which is hard to do as the detent for neutral is set with the top in exactly the right place, which tends to push the cover to one side, if not done exactly right.

Ask me how I know

Or the shifter arm that engages the fork came off. Either way you have to pull the top cover on the transmission and reinstall the arm in the fork thingy.

Getting the cover centered right when reinstalling is a royal pain...It looks simple... its not.

[Banjoman]

Thanks. I was hoping to not have to take off the cover plate because I have to lift the engine to do so. But if that is the answer then..... So be it. Now, as for the reason, is it possible that he clutch plate is seized? And if so, how would I go about freeing it?

[sailorchic34]

Not likely unless you can't move the shift arm at all. The shifter arm extends through the cover to another arm that fits between the fork that shifts the forward reverse cones back and forth. Its not at all like a clutch.

It is very easy to not get the cover located right so that the center "neutral" detent does not work. Its also easy for the shift arm to pop out of the fork, before the cover is all the way on..

First you have to put the cover on making sure the shift finger stays in the fork. Then you have to put the corner bolts in on all four corners about 1/2 way in. Then while holding the shifter in the middle / neutral, you tighten down the cover, going around the sides. before its tight, you may need to tap a side or two to get it centered. The cover has about 1/8" play in each direction so getting it just right is actually not that easy.

The one time I did it (some blonde chic dropped a washer in the oil fill port requiring the cover to be removed) it took a few try's.. Once its together, test that you have neutral. If the shifter goes direct from forward to reverse then the detent is not engaged and you have to recenter the cover.

[Banjoman]

Thanks again, but first I have to disconnect the drive shaft and lift the engine up enough to get at and loosen the cover plate. I'll let you know how it goes. Have a Merry Xmas!

[Banjoman]

So I have another problem. In order to not take the boat out of the water to lift my engine, I need to disconnect the drive shaft from the propellor shaft. Does anyone know the sequence to disconnect this particular drive shaft coupling?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Banjoman

So I have another problem. In order to not take the boat out of the water to lift my engine, I need to disconnect the drive shaft from the propellor shaft. Does anyone know the sequence to disconnect this particular drive shaft coupling?

Unless you have a unusual coupling, there no real sequence.
There will be four bolts (and nuts) that clamp the two flanges together. Undo the nuts, withdraw the bolts and separate the flanges.


If you have a drip-less style seal of the prop shaft (PSS or similar) then you will need to make sure the fore/aft pressure on the shaft seal is maintained i.e. the prop shaft can't be allowed to slide forward. If it does, water will enter from the now unsealed seal. However I suspect you will have the more traditional stuffing box and such movement shouldn't be a problem although it is wise to monitor the prop shaft seal carefully after any substantial fore/aft movement of the prop shaft.

[Northeaster]

in my experience, evem with a stuffing box, you can get substantial water coming in, if you move the shaft out of it's currenty alignment. \if you loosen the keeper nut and tighten the packing nut up tight, you should be OK, but I would keep a cose eye for water coming in.