1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

[rrbob]

I just installed a water pump kit ( all except the base ) How do I go about setting up the shifter gear for forward and reverse. I put it in forward before I removed the lower unit. I thought I had it right, I mounted the lower unit, put a nut in the front and back and checked it. With it set for forward, I turned the prop clockwise and it would turn and made a clicking noise, turn the prop counterclockwise and it is tight like it is engaged. I thought this was right, but when I shifted back to neutral nothing changed, shift to reverse same thing. I have tried dropping it back down and rotating the gear a couple different times but always end up with the same result, it was working fine before I dropped the lower unit. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated, I am going nuts trying to figure this out. Thanks in advance.

Bob

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

When the lower unit is in fwd. gear the prop lockd when turned counterclockwise

 

[rrbob]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

I have the lever at the console in forward gear, I can turn the prop clockwise and it makes a clicking sound. When I go to turn the prop counter-clockwise it is tight like it is engaged. If I put the lever at the console in neutral it acts exactly as it did in forward, and the same in reverse, it seems like it is engaged in forward all the time. I am wondering where the gear on the lower unit should be set when reinstalling it on motor.

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

Doesnt really matter which gear. Most people recommend forward gear.

You're going to have to drop the LU again. Sounds to me like you do not have the lower shift shaft engaged into the upper shaft shaft at all (or your controls arent hooked up to the motor?).

Drop the lower unit, move helm controls to forward. Double check the prop behavior to confirm lower unit is in forward gear. Then re-install becuase careful to make sure the water tube, driveshaft, and shift shaft all line up in thier correct positions.

Did you disturb the shift shaft at all when you last had the lower unit removed?

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

Bob, fwd. gear is default and it jumped by as you installed the unit. That is why I alway put everything in Rev gear to reinstall the unit, which is the opposite of most manuals try that you can't go wrong.

 

[rrbob]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

Thanks for all the help so far, I have dropped the lower unit again, unfortunatly I dropped it before I saw the above post and had it in forward gear again. When I installed the lower unit I paid attention to all 3 connect points, and the lower shift shaft slid into upper shift shaft, I paid paticular attention to this connection because once I had the lower unit up so far this was the only one I could see, I watched it until there was basically no gap between the LU and motor, and all the way it was sliding straight up into upper shift connection. What I am trying to figure out is when I have the LU on the bench, no matter how I turn the lower shift shaft I am not getting a change in the shaft rotation, it always turns free in clockwise ( with a clicking sound, I assume is the dog ) and when I turn it clockwise it turns the long spline shaft that goes up into powerhead. When I turn the lower shift shaft shouldn't this change, or am I turning it wrong, I know it only goes so far either way, I turn the prop clockwise a small amount to take pressure of the lower shift shaft and move it, I have had it in all positions and always come up with same result as above. Sorry about the long post, but I can't figure this out.

Thanks for the help,

Bob

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

The shift shaft has quite a lot of spring tension against the ramps and probably needs to be turned counterclock wise from were it is to find neutral and rev you need to put pressure on it to compress the spring

 

[rrbob]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

Thanks for the quick replies Laddies, I am getting ready to start working on again. I think your last post may help alot, If I understand you right what I am doing by just turning the lower shaft, won't change anything on the bench, when it is hooked to the upper shifter it will compress the spring and turn into correct gear, so I just need to have the lower shifter in the correct left to right position. When I pulled the LU I never turned the lower shifter, but a friend of mine told me when I turned the large shaft to install impeller in the housing, that the lower shifter alot of the time will move on you and it has to be in the correct position when you reinstall or gearing could be messed up even backwards, at this point I would be glad to see backwards instead of staying the same all the time. Once again thanks for the help!

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

No, you need to turn the shiftshaft with enough force to get the unit it to the gear you want to use for assembly before installing the unit.

 

[rrbob]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

Thanks Laddie, I have it in neutral now, now a real dumb question, how do I determine forward and reverse?

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

In forward the prop locks counterclockwise and rev it locks clockwise in either gear it will rachet with rotation.

 

[rrbob]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

I mounted LU back up, forward good, neutral good, but reverse want's to catch going both clockwise and counterclockwise.

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

Some of the older engines don't have a rachet in reverse, your is aparenttly one of them.

 

[Fishing4fun]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

I had this same problem after changing my water pump. What I found was that I couldn't turn the shift shaft far enough by hand to engage it back into gear. I thought I was able to because it was turning the shaft a long way each way. I took a twelve point socket and put on the shaft and found that it turned a lot further than before by hand and I was able to get it back into the proper position very easily.

 

[rrbob]

Re: 1986 Merc. 115, Problem after water pump change

That was my problem all along, I was turning the shaft each way until it stopped. I wasn't going far enough to even change gear, good idea to use the socket. Thanks for all the help and patience Laddies, you told me exactly how to fix the problem in your first or second reply, I just wasn't doing it right, put it on the muffs and all is good. Thanks again!!!