Forward gear won’t work

[Jgeige]

Hello everyone.
I have a 2001 crest 3 pontoon with a mercury 2 stroke 115 HP.
a couple weekends ago the boat was running fine all day until I loaded it on the trailer. It wouldn’t go on the trailer forward. It was like it was stuck in neutral and reviving loud. It would go in reverse fine. I guess along the way home the hole prop fell off and was lost. I replaced it with a new prop and hub assembly. The engine would go forward and reverse while testing it with the ears outside of the water. I thought I was all fixed up. I took it to the lake this past weekend and it would reverse off the trailer. I engaged forward and it was doing the same thing. No forward movement just revving. Any suggestion as to
what I may be dealing with? Thanks I’m advance!

 

[mav6759]

Did you check your cables to make sure there were connect or starched. Take your shift cable off and see if you can move the shifter by hand. And see if it will go into forward gear

 

[Texasmark]

Did you check your cables to make sure there were connect or starched. Take your shift cable off and see if you can move the shifter by hand. And see if it will go into forward gear

Remembering that any shifting to R has to be made slowly with someone rotating the prop by hand (engine off condition) or engine has to be running. Shift linkage may be damaged per the manual if attempting to force into R and the cogs and sockets aren't aligned in the LU. F doesn't matter....different engagement mechanism.

Edit: Just a thought: With engine off, shift into F and grasp the propeller and attempt to turn it CCW. If you have a goodly amount of force and you know that you are rotating the crankshaft in the engine also, fine. If you don't get the crankshaft to turn, the problem is in the shifter mechanism and if you see the cable to engine attachment (inside the engine proper) moving the same distance from N to F and N to R, then you have a problem in the LU....my best guess.

 

[Jgeige]

Thanks for the replies! I engaged the shifter into forward and turned it ccw it had resistance, but it did turn. I believe I could hear it moving the shaft as well. It would turn while making a clicking sound.
Edit: made the same clicking sound clockwise while turning with little resistance

 

[jimmbo]

In Forward,with Ignition Disabled, turning the prop CW will produce Clicking/Ratcheting sound. Turning it CCW, while in Forward should not produce Clicking/Ratcheting sound

 

[Jgeige]

Well it was definitely making clicking/ratcheting sound while moving it ccw. What should I do next? Are there any tutorials on how to adjust the cables for the forward and reverse?

 

[havoc_squad]

Well it was definitely making clicking/ratcheting sound while moving it ccw. What should I do next? Are there any tutorials on how to adjust the cables for the forward and reverse?

You first need to determine if it is a lower unit issue or a cable issue.

To do that, with the motor off and the spark plugs removed for safety, you need to disconnect the shift cable linkage on the motor and manually shift the linkage fully into forward gear.

Make sure the shift mechanism is moved for the full travel for that and is not binding up or not fully moving into forward.

Then do the test on the lower unit making sure it is put forward gear, then turn the prop CCW.

If strong resistance is felt and it does NOT click, that means the lower unit is doing it's job and is working.

If it does click, then you have an issue in the lower unit that requires removal and inspection by a professional who can rebuild them.

 

[Texasmark]

Well it was definitely making clicking/ratcheting sound while moving it ccw. What should I do next? Are there any tutorials on how to adjust the cables for the forward and reverse?

The rear of the F gear is saw toothed as is the front of the "clutch dog", the device that connects the prop shaft to a gear or none. With CCW rotation you are pressing vertical surfaces to vertical surfaces and they should lock. If slipping, due to corners being worn off....like would be the case with a very worn hand saw blade, they can't hold the torque and slip to the next cog.

Or if nothing is worn, as "havoc" mentioned, find out if the shifter cable needs to be adjusted at the engine end to ensure that when the remote is fully in F gear, so is the shift linkage in the engine....I like to have some slack in the remote control end when making this adjustment....ensures that the engine determines the position, not the control box.

Simple check is undo the tip of the shifter cable center conductor in the engine, push the engine shift linkage as far as it will go into F. Look at the position of the tip of the shifter cable. If it's not over the pin on the engine linkage, you need to undo it at the front of the engine and run the barrel back up the external brass, threaded rod of the shift cable, making it longer..... till it has slight positive pressure on the engine shifter pin when you reconnect it.