Sounds like the cutout switch. Alphas have a switch that kills the ignition
for just a second as you try to pull it out of gear. When it is not
adjusted right the two symptoms are that it is hard to get out of gear
and/or it dies when shifting. Get a service manual, you'll want one anyway,
and it will describe the ajustment procedure.


"Bill" wrote in message
...
I just bought a brand new 24' 2003 EbbTide Deck Boat. It now has
about 10 hours on it and I am experiencing a stalling problem with the
MerCruiser Mag 350.
Moving the shift/throttle lever from neutral to forward requires a
little more force than I am used to in my other boats but it is not so
difficult that I have to apply a lot of pressure. I don't know if
that is normal or not on this engine.
The stalling problem occurs when I pull back to idle from cruising
speed. I decrease speed gradually and everything is fine. I can hear
and feel the transmission kick into neutral but when I pull the
throttle/shift lever into the neutral lposition, I hear a click in the
throttle mechanism and the engines dies. There is a bout a 2 or 3
second delay between the time that I move the lever into neutral and I
hear the click.
There is no problem restarting the engine. I have found that if I
move the throttle into neutral and then immediately forward but not
enough to put it back into gear there is no stalling.
The stalling only occurs when I throttle back from speed. There is no
stalling during slow speed maneuvering when going from
forward/idle/reverse.
I don't have an EbbTide nor a MerCruiser dealer near where I have the
boat in the water. I will have to rent a trailer and haul it
somewhere if I cannot fix it myself.

Any help here??

Thanks,

Bill