Lost Reverse

KENO also check the return spings for the reverse clutch piston to see if the reverse clutch plate cut into them. they are pretty cheap undr a buck each.

KENO,
A friend I was skiing with at the time it happened also recommend Atlantis Marine Gear Supply so I contacted them.

You're right, it looks like I broke the reverse ring in my transmission. I came to the conclusion it was caused by a slight forward rotation I have in the drive shaft while the boat is in neutral. This was a problem that existed after I rebuilt the transmission two seasons ago. There wasn't a lot of forward rotation, just enough to notice if you let the boat idle in neutral for a minute or two - which I didn't do that often so it wasn't a real problem.

What I realize now is that when shifting to reverse the transmission was never able to come to a complete stop. Because it had no true neutral, it went right from forward to reverse. After two seasons, the reverse ring must have weakened and snapped (although I heard nothing and didn't notice any symptoms).

This is the only cause I can think of as the boat otherwise performs perfectly. The idle is low and when shifting to reverse previously I had absolutely no issues.

I was assured that I can do no further damage to the transmission by running it so I'll probably try to salvage the rest of the season (which is just Sept. for us in New England) using it without reverse and then rebuild it this fall either doing it myself or putting up the $500 and dropping it off at Atlantis Marine.

If I do it myself, I just need to figure out what I did wrong when reassembling to cause the slight rotation neutral.

-Keith

Thanks KENO,
If it is the reverse ring, I wonder how it could go? It wasn't like I jamed into reverse at high RPMs or anything. I backed it out - working fine, crossed the lake and then simply no reverse. I've been using it for two seasons now since the trany rebuild with no previous problems.

I was hopping that maybe running at 4600 RMPs stired things up and something could be clogged. Probably wishful thinking.

I haven't looked at the Velvet Manual in quite a while but, can't you check the pressure in the control lines (while in forward and then reverse) to give you some insight into the problem?