So, this Friday-Saturday's project was to convert the Prodrive from short transom version to tall transom motor using the kit provided by the manufacturer.

We put the motor back together and when I crank the key the prop turns. When I pull the red clutch knob I get the usual faint metallic "clang" of the plates engaging, but the prop spins all the time whether this knob is pulled or is in the off position. When you turn the motor off and then turn the key to the run position while the clutch cover is off, you can see "air" between the clutch plates. Then when you pull the red knob, the plates engage. But then the next time you crank the motor, the prop spins. And it's not a weak spin. When you bump the throttle / revs up, the prop rpm increases. In other words, it does not seem like the clutch is weakly dragging/slipping, even when the clutch knob is in the "off" position.

What did I do wrong? I have a mind to take it out and run tomorrow, hoping that everything will loosen up and this problem will go away. I REALLY don't want to take the whole thing apart again.

Help me out, boys.

DONT RUN IT!!!!!!!!!!

did u pull ur clutch off for any reason? U shouldn't have had to for da SS/LS conversion.... but if u did it sounds exactly like ur crank spacer is backwards.

Other than dat.... I can't think of anything in da process of da SS/LS conversion dat could possibly cause what ur explaining.

Stumpgrinder,

I followed PD's directions exactly, which included pulling off the motorhead with clutch assembly attached to it. Once you get to a certain point, the directions are not very explicit. They essentially say to put it all back together the way you pulled it apart, using the new parts.

Not sure what you mean by the crank spacer, as I can't find the page of the instructions that have the parts laid out and photographed. By "crank spacer" do you mean that aluminum cylindrical piece that slides inside the outer housing (the one that the six long bolts pass through)? It has a different size flange on the bottom than it does the top. I scratched my head for a minute as to the proper orientation but I am pretty sure I got it right.

???

By crank spacer I meant the first spacer that slides on the crank shaft before the clutch..... but since u didn't remove the clutch that shouldn't be an issue....

When you replaced the spline adapter.... do you recall seeing a thick, machined washer with a bolt that holds the clutch assembly on the crank shaft? I recently found that washer had split into 4 pieces on mine when I tore it apart to R/R the case gasket. The washer was still in place in my case but if that washer were to fail and work itself loose, it may cause problems similar to what ur experiencing.

As for the piece you referred to that da 6 bolts go through.... if you played with it I'm sure you figured out which way it went, it'll only fit one way given the way each end is machined. One side is cut shorter to fit against da L/U if I remember right.... every time I do one for someone I gotta flip it around and experiment with it but it becomes obvious after studying it.

Did not note that washer holding the clutch assy on the crankshaft, but then again I was not looking for it.

This motor only has one season on it. Gotta assume that it has not been run hard enough to begin experiencing failures. We were very methodical when pulling this thing apart and putting it back together.

Other than dragging the clutch when it is not fully engaged, what would happen if I ran it for a bit?

Thanks for taking your time to help out, Stumpgrinder.

if power is being applied to the drive in neutral.... clutch alignment is out of whack somewhere somehow. Da neutral part isn't what's gonna hurt it.... but it's an indication dat da clutch bearings may not be seated/compressed right, and if they are not.... runnin it wide open will create excess heat on one or more of da bearings and possibly cause failure.

A little bit prolly wouldn't hurt... but it takes u a little longer to get a clutch than it does me. So dat's ur call.

been scratchin a hole in my head.....

something is putting excess pressure on dat clutch....

Da aluminum spacer piece with da 6 holes in it dat da L/U bolts go through.... one side has a taller lip on it and should face up with da lip going inside da reverse plate. Is dat how y'all put it in?

When y'all put da top side back on... did da spline adapter and splined L/U shaft mate well? Did it slip on pretty easy by just rocking or turning da prop or engine... or did y'all have to force it? If excess pressure is/was applied to da spline adapter it could have sandwhiched da clutch causing this... but could prollly be corrected by removing da clutch and re-installing properly.

Did y'all put da 4 spacers back on when y'all re-installed da 4 mounting bolts dat bolt da engine plate down to da lower plate? Without da spacers in place da splined adapter will eventually bottom out on da splined shaft putting excess pressure on da clutch. Once bottomed out it actually has to be picked back up in order for da spacers to fit in there.

Just tryin to think of any scenarios dat could cause ur problem....

Aluminum spacer piece came out and fell into my hand (on disassembly) before I realized there was an orientation to it - one lip taller than another. We looked at the piece that came out one side was very greasy as is the reverse plate it comes out of, so we oriented it that way. Parts are over at my buddy's so I can't confirm right now which way we put the replacement in...would have to look at the old one.

Male and female splines went down and mated together with a little wiggling of the motor. Did not have to force.

We reinstalled the four spacers by the clutch assembly. I can see how omitting them would definitely suck things up too tight. We did have to raise the motor a bit as we had dropped it down a bit too low to install the spacers without raising up again.

well shit.... I got nuthin else. Even if dat aluminum spacer was da wrong way. I still don't see how it could cause what ur experiencing.... guess u better call KP tomorrow.

Thanks, Stumpgrinder. It just started raining hard here anyway, diminishing my desire to get on the water today.

if ur engine is a generac, they have a differant clutch and will spin a little in neutral.

if yours is a brigs/kholer, it shouldn't do that. there's a brake on it to keep it from spinning in neutral. make sure the bolt that holds the brake lever in place is still there, that sounds like ur problem. it just drops in if i remember correctly. i need to go look at mine so i can remember.

if it were me i'd go run it and see if it goes away.

they had a batch of spline adapters dat weren't machined deep enough..... dey thing he may one of those. If dat's da case, when it's bolted on with da 4 allen head bolts.... it's pushin on da clutch causin' his problem.

Thanks DA and Stump. I have a replacement spline adapter on it's way as we speak.