60 hp 3cyl Stuck in neutral

[widetrackman]

Last trip out the controls were real stiff going in fwd or rev. and eventually stuck in neutral. After finally getting home I disconnected the cables from the engine linkage and the control box functioned perfectly. The prop spun smoothly when in neutral. The engine linkage looks OK and not jammed. It appears something is stuck between the engine linkage and the and/or the dogs or something at the dogs. Anybody had this problem? Any suggestions. BTY everything was great the day before.

 

[racerone]

Model # is ?-----2 or 3 cylinder ?-------Drain the gear oil and look for metal bits.

 

[widetrackman]

Model # is ?-----2 or 3 cylinder ?-------Drain the gear oil and look for metal bits.

ooops Mercury 1995? 3 cyl. no metal in oil.

 

[achris]

The mechanism between the cable and the gearbox is just a shaft, nothing more. Your problem could be in the gearbox, or the shaft is binding somewhere. Drop the gearbox off and test again.

 

[widetrackman]

The mechanism between the cable and the gearbox is just a shaft, nothing more. Your problem could be in the gearbox, or the shaft is binding somewhere. Drop the gearbox off and test again.

Removed the two bolts and pulled gear assembly with prop. The assembly looked perfect (foward gear pilot bearing looked fine as well as the shaft.) and smooth so I removed and checked the cam follower, spring, and clutch dog, all operated as they should. No binding at follower or dog. I am no outboard mechanic but feel the problem is between the cam and upward but can not see how it could be. I will pull LU tomorrow

 

[widetrackman]

Removed the two bolts and pulled gear assembly with prop. The assembly looked perfect (forward gear pilot bearing looked fine as well as the shaft.) and smooth so I removed and checked the cam follower, spring, and clutch dog, all operated as they should. No binding at follower or dog. I am no outboard mechanic but feel the problem is between the cam and upward but can not see how it could be. I will pull LU tomorrow

Couple of things on my mind, (1) is there anyway to find on the sliding bar casting True neutral? I dont know any wayas of now (2) I have been unable to find a article or video on how to replace the shift shaft and cam. Thanks again

 

[achris]

The correct place for neutral for the cable is determined by the position the sliding bar finds when the gearbox is in neutral. There's no specific point.

The shift shaft from the slide (on the powerhead) is a single piece and requires the powerhead to be removed to lift it out.

Chris.......

 

[widetrackman]

The correct place for neutral for the cable is determined by the position the sliding bar finds when the gearbox is in neutral. There's no specific point.

The shift shaft from the slide (on the powerhead) is a single piece and requires the powerhead to be removed to lift it out.

Chris.......

Thanks Chris what I mean is if you lift the lower shift shaft up as in trying to remove the cam, what is required to remove and replace the cam and aline the shaft splines? do you fish it out from above, remove the forward gear to fish it out? or thru the bearing hole in the gear? My manual says remove lower shift shaft then reach in housing and remove the cam makes this sound soooo easy but it appears it aint so. I cant see how to get past the fwd gear

 

[achris]

Why are you trying to remove the cam? The most likely culprit for your hard shifting it the shift rod bushing under the powerhead, at the top of the shift rod. Put the prop shaft components back in the gearbox, then remove it, off the bottom of the engine and recheck the shifting system with the gearbox out of the picture.

Chris.....

 

[widetrackman]

Why are you trying to remove the cam? The most likely culprit for your hard shifting it the shift rod bushing under the powerhead, at the top of the shift rod. Put the prop shaft components back in the gearbox, then remove it, off the bottom of the engine and recheck the shifting system with the gearbox out of the picture.

Chris.....

Thanks, I was just wondering if cam was bad how to replace it. I think I am over thinking the problem. Will do as you say and see. Thanks again.

 

[widetrackman]

Thanks, I was just wondering if cam was bad how to replace it. I think I am over thinking the problem. Will do as you say and see. Thanks again.

Well Chris, you were right on. With foot off, cables disconnected the shifter moved effortlessly FNR, Cam and shaft worked freely, but the shift shaft going from power head to the foot is binding in the housing. It will move when driving the sliding block with a block of wood and small hammer , it is not completely seized but stiff and can be moved with controller when connected with a lot of hand pressure. You got any idea how to free it up?, I have sprayed every shaft penetration with Blaster and tried moving the linkage back and forth but very little improvement. I am not good enough to tackle a Power Head removal. Got any idea the shop hours to remove and replace PH?

 

[racerone]

Any salt water use ?------There is a nylon bushing up top on the shift rod.------What happens over the years is that oxygen joins with aluminum to form aluminum oxide , more material is now in there.-------This can really jam up things like shift rods.-----Depending on serial # of your motor there may be a reverse lock mechanism and that can jam up too.-----Reverse lock would not require powerhead removal to fix.

 

[The Force power]

Well Chris, you were right on. With foot off, cables disconnected the shifter moved effortlessly FNR, Cam and shaft worked freely, but the shift shaft going from power head to the foot is binding in the housing. It will move when driving the sliding block with a block of wood and small hammer , it is not completely seized but stiff and can be moved with controller when connected with a lot of hand pressure. You got any idea how to free it up?, I have sprayed every shaft penetration with Blaster and tried moving the linkage back and forth but very little improvement. I am not good enough to tackle a Power Head removal. Got any idea the shop hours to remove and replace PH?

STOP hammering/forcing that mechanism, you can twist the shift-shaft and the everything will be out of wack

Racerone is directing you in the right direction

Do you know how to drop the lower-unit?

 

[achris]

STOP hammering/forcing that mechanism, you can twist the shift-shaft and the everything will be out of wack

Racerone is directing you in the right direction

Do you know how to drop the lower-unit?

:facepalm:.... Have a read of what has been written. The gearbox is already off.

We are just confirming that the problem IS the shift rod bushing at the top...

widetrackman Short of lifting the powerhead, I would keep spraying things like CRC (5.56) and WD40 in there, and keep working the rod... Try not to use the hammer, and DON'T use the control cables... If you can make up a piece of flat plate with a hole in the end that you can attach where the cable attaches and use that to keep working the shaft...

I recently had a Mercruiser gimbal bearing that didn't want to joining the party. Bellows (non-genuine :facepalm had split and allowed salt water in. Owner didn't bring me the boat for about 6 weeks. You can imagine the fun the little salts had with all those dis-similar metals! I had a 10lb slide hammer on it, and I was pulling that thing with all my might. After half a dozen hits, it didn't even look like moving. It took me an hour of repeated hits, about 1 every 6 or 7 seconds, before it started to move. The point is, persist.. If you show the machine that you have bigger balls than it does, it'll eventually give up...

Good luck.

Chris.......

 

[The Force power]

:facepalm:.... Have a read of what has been written. The gearbox is already off.

We are just confirming that the problem IS the shift rod bushing at the top

Chris.......

My apologies, I will shut-up now:tape2: