no reverse - adjusting shift cable

[ax1lla]

Hi all,

I have a 1974 Sterncraft (tri hull). It is an 1150 mercury outboard motor, inline 6 cyl, 115 HP.

I have multiple things I'm trying to figure out before getting it out on the water this year, but the first one I'm concentrating on is getting reverse to work.

1. If I shift it into fully into forward the throttle control is at a 90 degree angle from neutral. If I pull the control back to reverse it only goes back abou 25 degrees and does not engage in gear.
2. While the control is pulled back in reverse, the prop spins both ways (as if it's still in neutral.

In reading through all of the relevant posts, it sounds like I have to adjust the shift cable. However, I don't really understand the directions as I am not just a newbie to boats, but am also a newbie to anything mechanical. Meaning, I have no idea how to interpret the directions I have been reading.

I posted some pics below and am hoping you can walk me through how to adjust this. The top cable is what I am assuming is the throttle cable. The bottom is the shift cable. I can pull the clamp off that holds both of them (first pic), but have no idea how to get to/adjust the shift cable from there.

Again, I'm a total newb. any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Corey

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Oops:
"I can pull the clamp off that holds both of them..." (THIRD pic) NOT first.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Once you pull the cables off, the barrel on the threaded portion can be turned for adjustment. Just make sure your motor is in N and turn the barrel until it will slip right back in to the retainer. It kinda hard to believe it could be out that much. I had a problem when I got my current motor where the shifter would go all the way back and no adjustment could keep the REV gears from struggling to engage. I replaced the shift cam and follower thinking they were too worn to work proerley and when that didn't work started at the front and worked my way back. What I finally discovered, was that the splines in the shift-shaft coupler were worn. With the spring on the clutch dog being assist for FWD and opposed for REV it would shift into FWD just fine but didn't have enough to push against the spring to allow it to go into REV. Your problem sounds different, but I thought I'd share that with you because ya never know....

 

[Maxz695]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

I would start bu removing the shifter cable from the engine and see if you can get the engine to shift by hand and get F N R. if so i would then inspest the cables both on the box side and the motor end for a broken barrel. these are where the clamp is holding the cable in place these are also what your going to adjust if need be when adjusting pull the barrel out of the retainer. and it screws up or down the cable to make the adjustmen setting after you get the proper disance replace and lock the clip when adjusting put throttle in F and the LU in F then make the adjustment after locking check the shifter for F N R if you still don,t have F N R then someone screwed up putting the LU back on. please read my second post before continuing on this step:facepalm:

 

[Silvertip]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Before you continue mucking with things that likely are not the problem, why not just disconnect the shift cable and move the lever on the engine by hand. Move it into forward and see if it engages. Then neutral to see if the prop spins both ways freely and then reverse to see if reverse engages. If reverse doesn't engage there is a lower unit issue. WARNING: have someone turn the prop by hand while you move the shift lever. Just like a car with a stick shift, unless the input and output shafts are turning on the transmission you may not be able to engage a gear. PLEASE be smart enough not to do this with the engine running.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Yea I was gonna ask did you take the outdrive off and do the waterpump recently? The shifter shouldn,t be that far out of wack you may have had the throttle in the wrong position when puting the unit back on that is why I perfer putiing the drive up in neutral with the shifter in neutral if this is the case drop the drive and set the LU in Neutral set the shifter to neutral and reinstall

 

[vegaasgt]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

hello i am new to boating but i have the same question on the no reverse, i actually had the boat out on the lake this weekend and ran good besides that i had no reverse if i put it on reverse it would go forward. but i actually took the LU off and replaced the water pump and the adjustment was moved, i dont know how to adjust the LU can you help me out on how to adjust it, i no the adjuster goes left and right and there is a metal piece that comes off. can you please help me.

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Thanks for the quick replies everyone. Although, I think you are all vastly overestimating my mechanical knowledge still - lol.

Silvertip/Maxz695 - sorry to continue with the stupid questions, but...ummm....how do you....ummmm....disconnect he shift cable? I can't seem to figure it out.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

push the two pins in the clip a bit and lift it will swing out then lift the retainer out from the clip foot exposing the barrels to be removed. I actually made a video on hwo to do this but it won,t upload. click this link it should bring you to my FB Video http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1498943614118&saved lol i did it with one hand tied behind my back:facepalm: romove the barrels from the holes and then they twist foward and backwards to adjust for slack

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Thanks Max! I actually was able to get the clip off before. The issue I'm having is how do I remove the barrels? Pulling the lever towards me is the one way I see how. And that seems to be forcing it way too much. But perhaps that is the only way to get it out of the hole it sits in?

Again, that is only to get the throttle cable out of the way enough just to get to the shift cable. If this is how you get the barrel out, I don't see any way to do this with the shift cable as there is no way to pull it out of the housing it sits in.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

disconnect the cable from the engine then it should come out of the hole did you lift the clip up and out of the way after it swung out to expose the barrels then just pull the barrels from there respective holes to adjust them. did you watch the video i posted to you? CLICK HERE won,t work go back to the post i made with the blue link and click on it it will bring you to the video. click the box and it will play try this one more time click on the video when you get there to play it http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1498943614118&saved give it time to load

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

OK, so I finally got the throttle cable disconnected. Pushing that out of my way, I also disconnected the shift cable. And attempted to shift it by hand. The prop spun correctly in forward (like I knew it would), and it spun both ways in neutral. However, after sliding it all the way in reverse ( keep in mind it would nt even come close to sliding back that far by just using the throttle control) the prop wouldn't spin either way. Meaning it just seemed to be locked. So even if I adjust this so that my throttle control goes back all the way, it's still not going to resolve my reverse issue.

Any ideas on what this could be? Or the next troubleshooting steps I could take? Keep in mind, im not mechanically inclined in any shape or form. So if the next step involves taking the engine apart, then I will throw in the "DIY" towel. Lol. Thanks again to all of you helping me out with this!

 

[MacDaddy21]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

I'm not sure if the information I have heard is correct, but when I asked a mechanic about this problem (as I am dealing with the same issue on my 1979 402 40hp) he told me that it is very likely that the cables stretched too much and just need replacing. Granted, I am not sure if this is legitimate or possible, but I figured I would toss it in and see if someone who knows their stuff could back that up or tell me if it is incorrect.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

View attachment 90889This is the only pic i have at present The outdrive is off. I have a 1979 40 HP that is the year they stopped calling our engines a 402. It sounds like you are stuck between gears and the prop locked up. I would suggest to you to pull the outdrive rebuild the water pump while your there and change the oil in the lower unit checking to see if you have milky looking oil in it. If so seal replacement will have to be made. Also check for major metal chips in the lower unit oil. Now take a socket or vise grip (NOT Reccommended) BE CAREFUL NOT TO DO DAMAGE THE SPLINES!!!! and turn the drive shaft back and fourth while turning the prop to get it to shift until you find the neutral where the prop should turn freely in both directions (No Clicking). Also check the cam on the shifter shaft (Not drive shaft) for any damage cracks missing areas etc .Do not remove the cam as this must be kept there, it is to lock down your engine in revers. . Now make sure your shifter in in neutral. Check to see the gear selector on the engine is in the neutral position between fowards and reverse. You will pobably have to adjust the shifter cable from the throttle to fit it at the neutral point. Now reinstall your Lower Unit. You should have all gears with slight adjustment maybe on the shifter cable. This is assuming the lower unit is good. I,ll send a few pics later on if i can that might help. I hope you do not have a bad revers gear. you will know after you drop the unit and check the reverse then

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Not sure if my cables need to be replaced or not, but when I performed the above troubleshooting the cable wasn't attached. So, I don't think it's possible that could be it.

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Thanks maxz!

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

OK, so I finally got the throttle cable disconnected. Pushing that out of my way, I also disconnected the shift cable. And attempted to shift it by hand. The prop spun correctly in forward (like I knew it would), and it spun both ways in neutral. However, after sliding it all the way in reverse ( keep in mind it would nt even come close to sliding back that far by just using the throttle control) the prop wouldn't spin either way. Meaning it just seemed to be locked. So even if I adjust this so that my throttle control goes back all the way, it's still not going to resolve my reverse issue.

Any ideas on what this could be? Or the next troubleshooting steps I could take? Keep in mind, im not mechanically inclined in any shape or form. So if the next step involves taking the engine apart, then I will throw in the "DIY" towel. Lol. Thanks again to all of you helping me out with this!

If I'm interpretting what you are saying correctly, then it is working properly. FWD=prop locked in one direction and ratchets in other direction. Neutral=prop spins freely in both directions. REV=prop locked in both directions.

Sounds like the shift cable is not adjusted correctly OR as stated above, it has stretched beyond the point where it is serviceable.

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

Moody- when in reverse, I thought the prop should spin in only one direction just like forward (but the other way). At least that is what I interpreted from reading on the forum?

Also, how could you know the shift cable is stretched if it wasn't even attached when I tested it? Very confused....

 

[Maxz695]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

This is true A worn out shift cable will not move the shifter shaft far enough to engage reverse. that is why you disconnected the cable to check if you can get reverse manually ( By Hand) in the cowel area (Locks one way ratches the other) Your problem may be as simple as a broken barrel retainer at the shifter. To check this move the trottle forwards then in the reverse direction the cables should go up and down this is normal if the cable is going in and out then the barrel is cracke (BROKEN) Replace the shifter cable

 

[ax1lla]

Re: no reverse - adjusting shift cable

OK, so:

1. Can you confirm the prop should spin backwards when manually putting it into reverse by hand and NOT locked both ways?
2. Can you exlain how to check to see if it is a broken barrel retainer again? I don't think I understand. Note: when the shift cable is attached to the engine, the cable slides forward when pushing the throttle forward and it slides back when shifting backwards. So I think it's doing what it's suppose to as far as that goes. Granted, it doesn't slide very far back in reverse (which could be a cable issue, right?)

Also, is the barrel retainer that you are referring to, the metal housing that the barrel slides into?

From all I have stated as far as troubleshooting is concerned, would you guess the issue lies with an adjustment of sorts in the lower unit? If so, is it anything a person such as myself could do (I know how to change the oil on my car)? Or is this a job for
a mechanic? I don't really want to sink much money into this, so if that's the case I might have to live without reverse. ;0)