Problem shifting to reverse

[kam80500]

I have a 1986 mercury 50 hp Outboard on a suntracker pontoon boat.
Last weekend we took it out and had trouble launching off the trailer. At first the shifter was difficult to push into reverse so we adjusted the cable on the shifter. Now the shifter feels like it is going into reverse, but the gears never catch. The engine smokes, but I think it might just be the exhaust from revving the engine. I've checked that the cable is secure on the shifter on both ends. Any other ideas of where I should start looking?

 

[diaric]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

was the lower unit removed recently for impeller change, etc, recently?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

Ck the cable travel at the engine, if if seems OK remove the cable end from thr engine and see if the engine can be shifted in to rev by moving the shift slide with your hand or a screwdrive that will tell you if the problrm is in the engine or controls

 

[kam80500]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

No the impeller wasn't changed. It's also getting a good stream of water.

 

[kam80500]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

Update: I have checked all the cables and adjusted. I put muff on and the engine shifted fine, propeller turns and no more grinding or difficult to shift. Put the boat on water and it shifts fine but no thrust in reverse gear. Boat will not move at all in reverse. Any ideas now?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

Did it work alright in fwd, if not it's the prop hub. Some engines on pontoons in rev. will ventilate the prop with exhaust have very little thrust, there was a service bulleton out many year ago on the fix for that but right now it escapes my mind as to the content. Look over the back of the boat and accerate slowly to see if the prop is turning or ventilating

 

[kam80500]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

Thanks! Yes it worked fine in forward. Just no thrust in reverse. There is exhaust coming out It's a new prop I put on but it has worked fine till just recent. Any more ideas greatly appreciated!

 

[etbill52]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

Update: I have checked all the cables and adjusted. I put muff on and the engine shifted fine, propeller turns and no more grinding or difficult to shift. Put the boat on water and it shifts fine but no thrust in reverse gear. Boat will not move at all in reverse. Any ideas now?

Had the same problem until yesterday. With muff on the prop turned forward and shifted into reverse, prop turned, when I got it into the lake would have no reverse at all, I took the cap off the shifting cable, (cable was adjusted out all the way) but the shifter rod looked like it should go another 1/4" back,
we took the shifter box apart, took the cable lose and adjusted it to make it push the shift rod back about 1/4", last night we took it to the lake shifted into reverse it worked great. We had worked on this thing for 2 weeks trying to get the reverse gear dogs to lock with no luck, it was not pushing the gear back enough to lock.
Hope this may help

 

[kam80500]

Re: Problem shifting to reverse

Gor er fixed, Excellent advice, Thanks!