Mercury stuck in drive, with LU off.

[smiffyboy]

I have a Mercury 1983 115 blueband engine. Since removing the LU for impeller renewall, I rotated the gear spline/shaft/pinion in the LU to check it rotated freely (not realising it was to do with the gearing) and re-assembled the engine. Started the engine all good, water flowing but prop spinning in forward gear at all times. Now even with the LU off, the gear selector shaft/pinion rotates 180 (if there is no load on the prop) but remains in forward drive throughout the 180 degrees of the shaft/pinion being rotated.
Any ideas before I take it to a specialist please!

 

[smiffyboy]

Re: Mercury stuck in drive, with LU off.

After reading some other posts they have said to use some grips (pliers) on the gearing pinion to which I first thought would damage the internal gears or rods, it's hard to tell what's happening on a sealed unit, let alone the limited space around the pinion. I think it may initially have been a case of not putting enough torque on it to engage neutral, are all dog clutches very stiff to change gear selection (forward, neutral, reverse)?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Mercury stuck in drive, with LU off.

There is a neutral detent. It takes some effort to put it into neutral. Turn the shift shaft CCW until it stops. Now use a cresent wrench on the bottom of the splines to turn it a bit more until it clicks into neutral

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Mercury stuck in drive, with LU off.

And turn the propshaft at the same time it will pop out of gear easier