Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

[firefighterco2]

After replacing the water pump assembly and changing out the lower unit oil the other day, the boat will not go into either forward or reverse. With the motor off it seems like the boat will go in gear from the control. Also with the lower unit off I can manually shift it in gear. But when i put the boat in the water the other day it would not go in reverse at all, it kept clicking like it was trying, and when I put it in forward the engine would rev but the prop was not spinning.

1986 Johnson 50 hp outboard
J50Belcde
On a 21 ft Landau Pontoon Boat

 

[HybridMX6]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

Did you happen to twist the shift rod while removing the lower? If so, you changed the shift rod height, and it has to be dead on the right length of it won't shift.
Either that, or you reconnected it with it in gear and the controls not in gear.
Oh, and you did reconnect the shift linkage, right?

 

[firefighterco2]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

I checked the height of the shift rod against the height listed in the repair manual and it seems to be right. What is the best way to check it. . . .I just used a tape measure. I had both in neutral when i reconnected the linkage?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

maesure from the mating surface to the center of the hole. as long as both are in the same gear, it should work. also disconnect cable to remote, and shift it manually, could be misadjusted or stretched cable.

 

[HybridMX6]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

I'm not sure of the exact right way to check that. I know my manual calls for some special tool, but I haven't had to go there yet. I'm rebuilding a motor now though that I will need to measure that length, but haven't got there. Someone had mentioned a "special tool" that they made, but I can't recall what it was.

 

[firefighterco2]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

tashasdaddy, just to clarify i should disconnect the linkage where the cable attaches to the motor? Everything worked fine before I pulled the lower unit to replace the water pump. . . I'll check that as soon as it stops rainin out here.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

you disconnect cabe where it attaches to the shift linkage, and manually shift it. also if trying to shift without the motor running, someone needs to turn the prop when shifting, so that the clutch dog gears line up. try this first if you haven't already.

 

[firefighterco2]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

Ok i disconnected the cables and manually shifted the motor and it went into both forward and reverse. Now my next question, what is the proper method to adjust the shift cables. And also, how do I know if the cables are stretched or bad?

 

[HybridMX6]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

You put the motor in neutral, and the controls in neutral, and connect them. They should be good to go if they were good before. If they are bad, it still won't shift right.

 

[firefighterco2]

Re: Motor won't go in gear after replacing water pump

I replaced the shift cables today and that helped. I can now shift into forward and reverse while on the muffs, but when i put the motor in the test tank i can only shift into forward. When I try to shift into reverse it sounds like it is grinding? and wont go. I noticed a couple of things.

1. There seems to be quite a bit of play (about an inch or more) in the shift linkage. Not sure if this is normal or not?

2. I'm thinkin my problem has something to do with the idle speed of the motor. My new tiny tach says that the motor is idling at about 1500 rpm's. I tried to adjust the idle speed and got it down to about 1100 rpm's but not sure how to get it lower. I followed the steps on the secret list forum?