Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

[grew153owner]

I just purchased an older boat with a Merc 500 (late 60's). When I bought it the guy said the impellar is new but the prop made a clicking sound when you spin the prop by hand. The prop only turns clockwise by hand, should it spin freely in both directions.
Also, the motor had no controls on it so I just installed a set of quicksilver controls. The gear shift lever on the console is stuck in reverse and will not go into neutral. The contols switched fine before I installed it on the motor. Is it possible the motor is stuck in reverse from improper installation of the impellar? The guy I bought it from never had the boat in the water as it was a project he never completed, but he was adamant that the motor runs well and was shifting gears before he had the impellar installed.

What is the best way to find out if the boat is stuck in reverse? I have little experience with outboards and would appreciate any advice.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

There is a possibility that the shift shaft was not lined up properly when the lower unit was reinstalled with the shift cable off the engine you should be able to shift the gears by moving the shift linkage back and forth with a screwdriver if it don't the unit will have to be dropped and the linkage realigned.

 

[dungbeetle46]

Re: Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

the prop will only spin freely in both directions when in neutral and the clicking is normal when in gear, try putting in neutral by hand at the motor as Laddies said, if you can shift by hand then you may need to adjust control cables.

 

[grew153owner]

Re: Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

Thank you for the advice guys. I had tried shifting the gears before I installed the new cable so I assume I have to drop the lower unit and reallign it. How will i be sure its alligned properly when I reinstall it?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

I have the best luck by putting the unit in rev. gear

 

[grew153owner]

Re: Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

Hi Laddies

When the motor is in reverse gear, should the prop turn freely in counter clockwise direction.

I removed and reinstalled the lower unit today and now forward and neutral work fine, but the motor does not seem to go into reverse. I removed the shifter cable again to push the gear back as far as possible, and the prop does not turn in either direction.

thanks for the advice, this has been a great learning experience for me.

 

[grew153owner]

Re: Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

I just tried to start the motor today for the first time. I fixed the lower unit problem using your advice and the prop spins freely when in neutral. Now the problem is the power head seems to be in gear. The engine is diificult to turn over and the prop moves when you turn the fly wheel(eventhough the motor is in neutral and the prop is turning freely by hand). I tried pulling over the motor with a rope but it is extremely difficult to move and the prop moves again.

When i use the controls to switch gears all the linkages seem to work and the gears change from neutral to forward in the lower unit. Is there a linkage to an upper gear box I need to check? any suggestions would be appreciated.

The starter turns and engages exactly as it should.

Thanks.

 

[berge472]

Re: Mercury 500 Thunderbolt question

The engine is diificult to turn over and the prop moves when you turn the fly wheel(eventhough the motor is in neutral and the prop is turning freely by hand). I tried pulling over the motor with a rope but it is extremely difficult to move and the prop moves again.



Thanks.

you ever find a solution/ cause for this? i jsut got a mercury 500 and it doing the same thing