1974 mercury 1150 Either no reverse or no foward

[DylRod94]

Right now I have forward and neutral but no reverse. the prop kicks in but slips in water. Whenever I adjust the cable for it to go fully in reverse I forward does the same thing.. I cannot seem to find the sweet spot.

 

[Chris1956]

Are you using a standard Mercury Control? Other controls have different travel for shifting length.

If you have a Mercury control, set the control to neutral. Remove the wrap cowl. Disconnect the throttle cable. Remove the shift cable from it's clamp. Now verify the motor is still in neutral, and adjust the barrel nut to fit the clamp.


.Mercury controls have plenty of "travel" to engage all gears.

 

[DylRod94]

Are you using a standard Mercury Control? Other controls have different travel for shifting length.



If you have a Mercury control, set the control to neutral. Remove the wrap cowl. Disconnect the throttle cable. Remove the shift cable from it's clamp. Now verify the motor is still in neutral, and adjust the barrel nut to fit the clamp.


.Mercury controls have plenty of "travel" to engage all gears.

Done all of this. Have forward and neutral but no reverse. It Barely engages and slips. Should there be and play in the arm that sits on top of the shift rod inside the cowl

 

[Chris1956]

The shift rod should not have any play in it. The shift slide should be in about the center of the slide travel. If you set the gearcase to neutral, does it "click in" and stay there? It should stay in neutral, and allow you to adjust the barrel nut to fit the clamp, when the control is in neutral as well.

 

[DylRod94]

The shift rod should not have any play in it. The shift slide should be in about the center of the slide travel. If you set the gearcase to neutral, does it "click in" and stay there? It should stay in neutral, and allow you to adjust the barrel nut to fit the clamp, when the control is in neutral as well.

The way I have been adjusting it is by pulling the cable out and twisting the black cylinder

 

[Chris1956]

That is the proper way to adjust the shift cable.

However, when the gearcase is in neutral,set the throttle to neutral and adjust the black cylinder to fit the clamp. If the shift slide is not in the center of it's travel, the lower shift and upper shift shafts are mis-aligned.