How to tell if your reverse needs adjustment

[fiatracer163]

I have an Atomic 4 in my 323 and need to know if I should adjust my reverse. I can hear it go into reverse but don't know if it is slipping. It takes a lot to get it to slow/stop. Example; At 2-3k's in forward, I have to put it in reverse and rev it 2500-3000 rpm for five seconds to slow it down to a stand still, another 5 seconds will get it so start moving in reverse. Once it starts moving I do get some Port pull but think that is normal for this boat.

When tied up to the dock if I put it in reverse, I can tell that it is engaging and pulling at idle. I believe it is slipping at higher RPM's. Any comments on how much to adjust? I wish there was a way to check it with a feeler gauge.

[fiatracer163]

I would also like to know where others neutral position is. If my lever is 90 degrees from the pedestal, then the transmission is out of the forward detente, but still will pull forward as if it is still in forward gear. It as to be about just above the reverse (about 7-8 O-Clock) for it to me in neutral and reverse is just below this.

Thanks in advance.

[Sea Haven]

I have just about the same thing going on, I "think" we need adjustment. Perhaps only at the cable.
It's on my list of $#*! to attend to, but I'm not yet at the point of dealing with it as I'm functioning well enough just being aware of it! lol

The following is from Don Moyers A4 Site

8. Why does my boat move forward, even when I have the shifting lever in neutral in the cockpit?
Both forward and reverse are achieved through clutch functions. Neutral is simply the space in the shifting lever's travel between forward and reverse.

If it is difficult for you to find a neutral place in your shifting lever's travel, it probably means that your reverse adjustment is set needlessly tight. If the adjustment on the reversing band is a bit tight, it will frequently appear even more tight as the mechanism heats up and expands. Proper adjusting procedure calls for setting up the forward mode first, using the adjusting collar just behind the pressure plate next to the forward clutch disks. Assuming that your forward mode is OK (meaning that it goes into a solid “forward detent” and does not slip under full power), you may be able to loosen the reverse mode a bit by loosening the 3/4” nut in the upper left corner of the reversing gear opening. This is the nut held loosely in place by a spring clip. You can turn the nut within this clip without removing it.

There is no need to have the reversing adjustment very tight. As long as you encounter reverse comfortably before running out of travel on the shifting lever, you're OK. Remember that there is no “reversing detent,” so you have to hold the lever back to keep the reversing gear assembly in reverse.

After you have the reverse mode adjusted satisfactorily, you should be able to find a neutral place without too much difficulty. Do not expect to necessarily find the best neutral position with the lever straight up, or any other particular place in its travel. Once you find the neutral position on the engine's shifting lever, you may have to adjust the boat's cable system to have the lever in the cockpit be straight up. - Updated: November 4, 2003

Experienced A4 owners care to comment?

"Sub" ERd

[Dolce_Vita]

"Sub" Ed's comment from the Moyer Marine forum is spot on.  There is no reverse or neutral detent.
Following Don Moyer's instructions will yield a properly adjusted reversing gear.  One note of caution:
When doing the forward adjustment, be absolutely sure that the adjusting collar is lined up so that the locking screw extends into one of the notches, and does not press against the collar.  The ear holding the locking screw is a cast part, and it is very easy to shear off if the screw hits the collar before it bottoms-out.

That having been successfully done, it will still be hard to find neutral.  My solution was to observe the shaft at the coupler coming out of the V-Drive and make small adjustments to the shifter position until the shaft stopped rotating.  Then, I took a black sharpie and drew a mark on the base of the shifter and continued it onto the pedestal.  Now, finding neutral simply means lining up the marks.

[fiatracer163]

I do have marks where neutral is.

I just don't know if I need to adjust my reverse. I don't want to over it and mess something up.

[Alma]

It is disconcerting at first the action of the A 4 transmission reversing gear. But it is a robust unit so a little learning curve pays off.

You do need to hold the shift lever against it's reverse position to fully engage the reverse clutch. If you don't hold it firmly you will cause premature wear.

As long as you are able to keep the engine from slipping (revolutions climbing past load) that is the way it works.

There is no way I know of to select reverse and leave the helm. That might be a good thing.

It is worthwhile to study the action of the transmission from the Moyer site to understand its function.

The only advice I'd give over Moyer is to make adjustments only if it is slipping when held firmly in reverse position. Then make the smallest adjustments possible to get it to function correctly. There is a sweet spot between the action of the two clutch mechanisms. As Moyer says one adjustment distance at a time is the proper troubleshooting procedure. Forward and reverse both have distinct settings- don't skip and think three "clicks" will give you better performance.

Get yourself a piece of cork gasket material from NAPA or auto parts store and make a nice new gasket. Cork will withstand several removals of the transmission cover for adjustment.

Use only recommended engine oil. Like some motorcycles, the engine and transmission share the same oil supply.
The transmission relays on old-fashioned oil to have the clutches slip or grip to operate correctly. I use straight 40 weight oil and change it every 30 hours (a full gas tank). It is available everywhere, cheap and effective. If your engine is newly overhauled and "tight" you might use straight 30 weight.

The position of "neutral" will wander when you change the transmission clutch adjustments.

Once set right (AND yours might already BE) your transmission won't need adjustment for years.