Help! Re installing lower unit after water pump replacement on 1977 Evinrude 35 hp SS

[glennc1]

Hopefully someone has run into this before. I replaced the water pump on my 35, now after I've bolted everything back on, everything is lined up, shift shaft coupler is snug etc.. The problem is when I shift into forward the prop spins as if in neutral, in neutral the prop has resistance as if its in forward, reverse has resistance as well, hope this makes sense its giving me a head ache. Tried reinstalling the lower unit with the shift lever in Fwd, Neutral, Rev, still does the same dang thing. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Johny25]

Re: Help! Re installing lower unit after water pump replacement on 1977 Evinrude 35 h

I haven't run into this problem before but something is surely not correct. I'm not familiar with the 77' lower unit but can you see the shift rod moving through the anti vent covers on the lower unit?

Sounds to me like neutral and reverse are both reverse and that forward is just making into neutral. So it really is not moving far enough to make it into forward gear. It should go down when shifted into forward gear and up when shifting into reverse. Something has slipped on your shift shaft by the sounds of it? Got the collar on the shift rod lined up properly? I put my lower unit on while in forward (due to having to put it in forward to get it apart)

 

[Haffiman]

Re: Help! Re installing lower unit after water pump replacement on 1977 Evinrude 35 h

I see two possibilities:
1: You may accidentally/incidentally have turned the lower shift-rod and got it out of adjustment.
2: The screws in the connector does not line up with the grooves in the rods.