225 optimax will not shift out of drive

[Gillagorilla]

I am in the middle of replacing the impellers on the 2001 225 Optimax 3.0 engines. I had the port engine engaged in forward gear before taking off the lower unit. But since we have three people working around the boat today the gear levers were pulled out of forward and into neutral when I had the port side lower unit off. Now the port side gear shifter will not come back into neutral even when the lower unit is pulled back off. We have taken both upper engine covers off and you can see the two cables of the starboard motor move when going into drive or reverse but only see the throttle cable move when doing this to the port side engine and the actual shift cable looks like it is bound up.

Does anyone have any experience with this problem? If so I would greatly appreciate any help.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 225 optimax will not shift out of drive

have you tried turning the prop when shifting.

 

[Don S]

Re: 225 optimax will not shift out of drive

If the shift cable isn't moving, then either the control box has the throttle only button stuck in, or the shifter was forced and something broke.

 

[Gillagorilla]

Re: 225 optimax will not shift out of drive

Thanks guys. We unbolted the shifter cable on the port engine and then it shifted fine with the shifter, found out that the shaft that comes up from the just above the lower unit was pushed up onto a bracket just under the cylinders area. We pulled the shifter rod back down with a pair up pliers about a 1/4 inch and it moves fine until we try to reinstall the lower unit. No matter which way we have the lower drive shaft lined up and the shifter on the lower unit lined up it still just pushes the shift shaft back up and binds it.

Any suggestions.