MORSE CONTROL PROBLEMS

[RJMRJM]

My morse gear and throttle control is malfunctioning its the second one i have put on in 2 years with the same problem When I put it into neutral and engage the throttle to pull the refrigeration down it sometimes slips into gear. NOT FUNNY and also it does not select reverse on occasions There is no problem with the gearbox it seems to be the PUSH IN BUTTON that is causing the problem and I do not know how to fix it I can fix a small bracket to the back of the unit as i did last time but it does not FIX the problem I am not a live aboard but the boat does get a lot of use Surely I dont have to replace the Morse unit every two years ANY SUGGESTIONS PLEASE

[GILow]

Hi RJMRJM,

First things first... nice boat! The Arends is something special indeed.

As for your control problem, can you tell us a little more? Type of gearbox would be a great start, plus the make/model of morse control if you can find it.

On mine, the button is an over-ride that allows you to increase the throttle setting without engaging the gears, it may or may not be the same function on yours.

So more info please.

Matt

P.S. And some boat photos too if you like.

[RJMRJM]

Hi GI low I will check the model of the morse control but as far as I am aware it is the current single lever two cable unit purchased two years ago I have had the Arends for 20 years and my previous boat of 10 years was a 42 ft. Swanson JANNER

[tkeithlu]

You've got three potential sources of a mechanical failure, short of ther problem being in the tranny. As GILow says, more information would help. Given that you have replaced the control head, the push in button, which nominally is a likely bet, falls to last place. Next is the cables, which may either be slipping in their mounts at one end or the other, or may be worn out and not transmitting the motion from the head to the tranny. The third is the tranny, which could be slipping out of gear. These and the control head are all easily tested with the assistance of a friend. One at the controls, one at the tranny, and start demonstrating that your motions at the controls make it to the tranny intact. Narrow it down, and see what is slipping.

[RJMRJM]

Helllo again GI Low the morse is the same function as yours. The gearbox is Kanzaki Hearth fully rebuilt by Minnards two years ago the engine is a 3QM 30 Yanmar.

[RJMRJM]

tkeith you are quite correct in what you have said and I had already performed each of these checks beforehand so i am left with the button That button i understand pushes a pin out of a slot inside the morse box which in turn as you know disengages the gear selector The box appears to be sealed and i cannot find any detailed drawings of this which might give me a better overview

[GILow]

Originally Posted by RJMRJM

tkeith you are quite correct in what you have said and I had already performed each of these checks beforehand so i am left with the button That button i understand pushes a pin out of a slot inside the morse box which in turn as you know disengages the gear selector The box appears to be sealed and i cannot find any detailed drawings of this which might give me a better overview

Well, I had a real think about this one, and I am struggling. For a start, my morse lever needs the button pulled OUT to get neutral, so it is not a great reference for your issue. Also, should the button on mine somehow pop back in, I cannot see any possible way it could force the gearbox into gear, since the morse lever also needs to push (or pull) the selector on the gearbox, and that cannot happen just from the button popping back in.

In your situation, I would remove the fork from the gearbox selector lever and check that the lever itself is indexing nicely. Their should be quite a positive latching of the gear lever in each of the three positions of forward, neutral and reverse.

I would also check to see if the lever on the gearbox is somehow exerting a force on the morse cable when the engine is running, since, as I mentioned, I just cannot see how the movement is being induced by the failure of the disengage button.

Maybe a video of the action of changing gears with the engine running will help?

[tkeithlu]

If GILow's suggestion that you disengage the control head and see that it is functioning just right doesn't lead you to the source of the problem, and the gearbox has been overhauled, I'd next want to see if slack in the cable is leaving the box not quite fully in neutral. There's something not quite precise here somewhere.

I'm not saying that as "I know what's going on here." You've got a real mystery, but somewhere in this sequence of movements something is not quite right. But, do determine that that control head is both at specs and does not allow play after a shift to neutral as your next step.

[tkeithlu]

I'm with GILow on this mystery. Somewhere in this set of three items something is slipping. When you disconnect the cable to the tranny and move the shift lever back and forth with a visegrips, does the tranny "snick" into forward, neutral, and reverse? With the cable disconnected, can you push/pull on it while holding the cover fixed and find play? Does the control head likewise "snick"? With the cable connected, does "snick" at the control head result in "snick" at the tranny, or is the lever arm on the tranny not quite the right length, such as "snick" at one end does not result in quite "snick" at the other? The whole thing could be tight and right but with the control arm misadjusted you might be hovering at neutral/forward in the tranny.

Keep at it. You are going to find the problem and solve it.

[RJMRJM]

Hi TK and GILOW I have found the cause of the problem and you are correct the cause is not in the Morse control .Unfortunatly this 40 year old K H 18 KANZAKI gearbox it would appear has a problem which will sometimes cause it to just trip across the line into gear the culprit being the cam selector which is worn and i cannot find a replacement for it. I have now had the gearbox selector re aligned as best is possible so will nurse it along and will limit the refrig top up to when I am underway.

[GILow]

Great to hear you have identified the problem, sorry to hear it’s not a simple fix.

Given the gearbox was rebuilt two years ago I’d be inclined to have a word with the outfit that rebuilt it. Two years is too short a time period for this sort of problem to appear.

[Wotname]

RJMRJM, you might be interested in reading post #11 in this thread
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...15-222875.html

The OP appears to have a now spare KH18!

[tkeithlu]

Congratulations, RJM. You've chased down your first mechanical mystery. I bet you snuck up on that bad boy tranny and caught it not quite going "snick."

Back in the 1980s Ford automatic transmissions did the same thing. Slipped into reverse without notice. One on an ambulance broke the leg of an EMT student of mine...

[RJMRJM]

Hi WOTNAME thanks for that information Do you know how I con get in touch with Pullark, I would like to talk to him about his kh18 box and I may be able to get hold of a 2Q M box if it is still there My email is rjmrjm@aapt.net.au Cheers and thanks again

[Wotname]

^^ You could try posting on his thread mentioned above or you could try viewing his public profile (click on his username) and then his contact info for an email contact via CF or you could send him a private message via CF.