reverse woes

[duanemc]

Hey out there. I am having huge issues with my 71 merc 65hp outboard. It will shift into forward and neutral, but will not go into reverse if using the shift lever. I can however get it to go into reverse by manually putting it into reverse. When using the shifter the cable will not go all the way to the end of its travel. I have adjusted the cable but not sure if I adjust out towards the motor in adjust it intowards the front of boat. Could cable be bad or is it an adjustment? Either way I have adjusted it I just can't get it.
thanks
Duane

 

[BassnKY]

Re: reverse woes

I assume it has the remote control box.

I would check the linkage at the engine and the control box. I these look OK,and you can't get the cable to make a difference by adjusting, the cable could have broken.

 

[duanemc]

Re: reverse woes

Thanks I can see the linkage move it just looks like the cable won't push far enough for it to go into reverse. Could it be the shifter I have had it stick on me a couple times?
Thanks
Duane

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: reverse woes

Duane it could be several things. you say you can shift it in manually then you've eliminated things past the cable. if you adjust the cable the wrong way, your going to go into forward really quickly. you want to make the cable longer so determine which way you have to turn the barrel to adjust the cable out.If your shifter stuck on you did you force it to unstick or play with it until it came loose?

 

[BassnKY]

Re: reverse woes

Does your control have a pull/pull cable system? If it does, you have to make sure you adjust BOTH cables AND that at center, it is in neutral.

 

[duanemc]

Re: reverse woes

Okay I adjusted the cable all the way (so barrel is as far as can go) and it didn't help so should I go other direction or other direction would be shortening the cable? When it got stuck I manually moved the cable position at the motor and it freed it up. It has 1 cable to the shifter for forward,neutral, and reverse and a cable for I think throttle?
thanks
Duane

 

[BassnKY]

Re: reverse woes

Have you checked out the shift console? The problem could be there.

A few things to check:
1. Is it a pull/pull system? (Meaning that when you shift, one cable goes out while the other goes in) If so, it should be adjusted so that it is in neutral and the cables snug. If you have done this, and it still does not shift correctly, the problem lies eslewhere.
2. Take the cable loose at one end and make sure it cannot pull out.
3. Start all the adjustment in neutral so as "wingedwheel" stated you could be in forward when you think you are in neutral (not good).

What control unit are you using? What is the serial number of your engine. It would help i could look up a schematics of both your control unit and the throttle linkages.

 

[BassnKY]

Re: reverse woes

Just did a little checking and guessing.

If you have a single cable that runs from the shifter to the shift linkage, the cable could be slipping on one end where it is attached. Of course I wont know until I know which remote unit it is.

 

[duanemc]

Re: reverse woes

The boat motor is a Mercury S/N 3157430 which I think makes it a 1971 it is a 65hp . The controller is a mercontrol. With like I said the shifter and then a shifter that you pull up for starting (guess it revs the engine)
thanks
Duane

 

[Fuzzytbay]

Re: reverse woes

When you shift in to reverse, you are in fact causing the cable to pull towards you, or become shorter, as the motor see's it. if the cable cannot become short enough, then it will not go into reverse. you have to screw the barrel out towards the end of the cable to make the cable become short enought to shift into reverse.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: reverse woes

Fuzzy, my shifter in fact, pushes the cable out. It depends on your motor and shifter set.

 

[Fuzzytbay]

Re: reverse woes

Wing

He has the single lever control, with the fast idle lever. I of course was refering to Dauane's control not everyone's.

 

[duanemc]

Re: reverse woes

Fuzzy so I should turn the barrel towards the back of the boat then right? Sorry I am clueless would it help if I took a pic of what it looks like right now.
thanks
Duane

 

[BassnKY]

Re: reverse woes

If you are adjusting the outer sheath of the cable and it is not either moving were it is connected on either end, something is not connected properly. You should be able to tell which way you are going as you are doing it.

Did the problem start suddenly or did it come on over time?

If it was suddenly, either one of the connections (At each end of the cable) failed or the cable broke.

 

[Fuzzytbay]

Re: reverse woes

Fuzzy so I should turn the barrel towards the back of the boat then right? Sorry I am clueless would it help if I took a pic of what it looks like right now.
thanks
Duane

A pictures worth a thousand words, Duane. As long as I have the right controller in my mind for your boat, yes the barrel should be moved (turned) towards the back of the boat, or to be more precice towards the end of the cable, not towards the controller.

 

[duanemc]

Re: reverse woes

Okay fuzzy I think I get what you are saying now here are two pics one of cable one of controller. I put a yellow arrow pointing in the direction I should be adjusting cable in the pic of the motor itself?
Duane

 

[duanemc]

Re: reverse woes

BassnKY not sure when this happened I just got the boat this year, but the cable is moving things back and forth at the motor when it is moved. I am going to go at it again today (Wed.) now that I somewhat know what to try and do. If I get this all adjusted right and it still won't go into reverse would it be the cable or the shifter itself?
thanks
Duane

 

[BassnKY]

Re: reverse woes

duanemc:
If it still does not go into gear, I would first check to make sure that nothing is flexing and not giving you the full throw. Also check where the outer sheath of the cable is anchored. This should not be able to move.

Yes it could be the shifter or cable. It might be easier to have someone shift it back and forth for you while you inspect everything. It's hard to see everything while you are doing it yourself.

Good luck!!!

 

[Fuzzytbay]

Re: reverse woes

Duane....yes thats the direction to move the barrel. For a reference, I would disconnect the barrel, then manualy place the motor in reverse. Move the shifter to the reverse possition. Now you can see where the barrel should be moved to line up to the mount. ( you may need two people to do this, one to move it into reverse, the other to move the controller into reverse)

 

[duanemc]

Re: reverse woes

Okay so we followed the way the cable works I took off the shifter and noticed when the cable gets almost to reverse the keyway slips out of the notch it normally seats in and when it does that the cable won`t go as far as it should. Here are a couple pics I think groove?notch has been worn to a more oblong shape allowing keyway to slip out. Does that sound plausible? What is that piece called and can it be replaced?
thanks
Duane