Lower unit

[tlewick1]

I took the powerhead off my Mercury 1150 (1976-1978.) When I took it off it was in nuetral. Later I noticed that the shifter pulled out. I wasn't sure at what orientation it had been in. The Seloc manual I have says do all the diagnosis of lower unit with the powerhead attached and I don't know why. Without taking it apart, I think it's the cam I style shifter without preload pin. I thought that I should be able to turn the drive shaft by hand. I can't. I can only wiggle it a little bit (and the prop moves a little along with it.) Seems like it kicked in gear. I tried putting the shifter back in and turning it to put it back in nuetral but turning it does nothing. Is something wrong?

 

[Chris1956]

It is hard to install the powerhead, with the gearcase already installed, as you have found out. I would remove the gearcase, and then install the powerhead. Connect the shift and throttle cables, and set the control to neutral. Now turn the driveshaft clockwise with a vice grip, on its middle.. If the prop turns CW, the gearcase is in forward. If the prop turns CCW, the gearcase is in reverse.

Ifi n forward, turn the gearcase shift rod CCW to shift it from forward to neutral. Use a small cresent wrench and don't strip the spllines. If in reverse, tuen the shift rod CW to get to neutral. She should stay in neutral.

Now install the gearcase.

 

[tlewick1]

When you say gearcase, I'm imagining the lower unit (with the driveshaft and prop.) What do you mean by gearcase?

 

[GA_Boater]

Gearcase = Lower Unit

 

[tlewick1]

When I turn the shift rod, it goes straight from forward to reverse. Can't get it in neutral.

 

[Chris1956]

Turning the shiftshaft CCW should change the gear from forward to neutral and then to reverse. It should "click into" neutral and stay there. If you are turning the shift shaft CW, you are turning it incorrectly.

 

[tlewick1]

I'm turning it CCW. It clicks directly from forward to reverse.

 

[Chris1956]

Well, in that case, maybe something is wrong with the gears. There should be a distinct "click" into neutral. You might verify that the gear oil is good. Maybe the rod that moves the shift dog sticks?

 

[tlewick1]

I'll have to take it apart. I'm doing a rebuild because it was submerged in a flood and is full of silt. Maybe there's silt causing trouble down there. I was hoping to test the engine before I did any work to the lower unit, but that doesn't seem possible now. Bummer

 

[Chris1956]

Drain and refill the gearcase before taking it apart. Gearcase work requires special tools and old gearcases are tricky to disassemble.