Prop spinning in neutral

[Justin_C]

My prop is spinning (albeit slowly) while in neutral. I can stop it by grabbing the shaft so there's not a lot of pressure on it but we had to completely replace the transmission a few years ago so anything transmission related makes me nervous. It's a pcm gt-40 with 1:1 transmission. Just tried changing the transmission fluid but I could only get a little under a quart out. Put that much back in and the dipstick is showing full again.

 

Thoughts on why the prop is still spinning? Also, any tips on getting more of the fluid out would be handy. I was using a little hand pump to drain.

[dvskier]

This is called a "dirty neutral" and it's caused by warped clutch plates in the transmission. I use a drill pump kip that I got from Overtons, cost about $15 and it comes with an assortment of hoses. The small hose works perfect for extracting transmission fluid, you should get the boat up to operating temperature prior to extraction.

[BraceMaker]

First thing you want to do, throttle in neutral find the trans shift arm - a cable goes to it through a brass ferrule - this is on a threaded rod end - you want to disconnect it and make sure that arm detent is in neutral, and then you want to make sure that the brass ferrule slips into the hole in the arm perfectly, you may need to thread it up and down. If its slipping nicely into the hole I wouldn't worry about it too much most will coast a bit out of the water, you might have your idle a bit high which can be backed down. Otherwise id suspect not broken in fully. If its super hard to stop you may have glazed plates in the trans but I'd start with that linkage.

[eleeski]

Always assume that the prop is spinning in neutral. Key off if you float over the rope or a buoy! And never get the prop near a person.

 

My props always seem to turn a bit in neutral. I don't think you have a problem unless it is really pushing your boat.

 

Eric