Stupid question.

[bob1340]

1969 Model 75 7.5 hp motor.
Which way does the shift lever move to propel the boat forward??
I have had tilted motors before and they all shifted in the direction you want to go. Forward on the lever, you go forward. Rearward on the lever, you go in reverse. I had my little motor at the lake yesterday for the first time (for me) and it had to be shifted rearward to go forward. Like an idiot I never tried to see if reverse worked with the lever in the forward position.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Stupid question.

Which way was the motor turned.?

 

[bob1340]

Re: Stupid question.

Which way was the motor turned.?

It's a pull starter so it will only go one direction. Are you talking about running it backwards?

I don't have an owners manual on this motor, but every outboard I've been around the lever goes in the direction you want to boat to go. Forward for forward and backwards for backwards or reverse. This on appears to be the other way around, although like I said before I did not try pulling it all the way forward to see if that gave me reverse.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Stupid question.

Can you post the serial # please? I'd like to look at that gearcase.

 

[bob1340]

Re: Stupid question.

Can you post the serial # please? I'd like to look at that gearcase.

281?525 Can't read the middle number. It's a late '69 model or early '70. The gear cases are the same for many years there.

This is what I have:
http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/444_19.cfm
I did install a new water pump and torn down the gear box and re-sealed it.
I can't imagine the linkage is on bad as I think it will either go or no go when installed. In the tank it ran in both gears, I just didn't think of pulling the lever forward to see it that would be reverse.

Anyone ever have an outboard with the lever going rearward to go into forward drive! Seems like someone would know this. I am guessing the owners manual says; "move the lever forward to engage forward gear", or something like that.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Stupid question.

I guess I should ask you this. Did it work the other way before? Or is this motor new to you?

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Stupid question.

Never Mind I looked up and you already answered that. I'm wondering if you accidently reversed the shift cam by turning the shaft before you re-installed.

 

[bob1340]

Re: Stupid question.

Never Mind I looked up and you already answered that. I'm wondering if you accidently reversed the shift cam by turning the shaft before you re-installed.

No idea.

My question is/was:

1969 Model 75 7.5 hp motor.
Which way does the shift lever move to propel the boat forward??

If by the shift cam you mean the job in the front of the gear housing or the job under the powerhead, neither one was removed. The shift shaft was not removed from the lower unit.

Before I assume something is wrong I need to ascertain if my shifting is correct or wrong.

 

[bob1340]

Mercury 7.5 HP Motor

Mercury 7.5 HP Motor

Btt

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Stupid question.

Forward/Forward. Reverse/ Back. Nuetrel/center

 

[bob1340]

Re: Stupid question.

Forward/Forward. Reverse/ Back. Nuetrel/center

Well, looks like I have a problem.

I have not been able to find a factory manual for this motor. I have the online Seloc deal, but it is fairly worthless IMHO. I'll remove the lower and see if I can figure out what is wrong. It looks like the splines on the shift shaft could only go one way, but in this case it's actually turning the wrong direction. LOL

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Stupid question.

I think what might have happened was when you or the PO took the LU off to change the impeller, you the shift-shaft may have gotten turned and the shift cam went off the lobe. You will probably have to drop the LU again and just spin the shaft 180 ccw. You will feel it engage and check you prop to see which gear your in. REW locked in both directions, N is N and FWD locked one way, ratchets the other. Then see if when you manually shift it the direction corresponds with the shift linkage. If you just got it the PO probably did it and never mentioned it.

 

[bob1340]

Re: Stupid question.

I think what might have happened was when you or the PO took the LU off to change the impeller, you the shift-shaft may have gotten turned and the shift cam went off the lobe. You will probably have to drop the LU again and just spin the shaft 180 ccw. You will feel it engage and check you prop to see which gear your in. REW locked in both directions, N is N and FWD locked one way, ratchets the other. Then see if when you manually shift it the direction corresponds with the shift linkage. If you just got it the PO probably did it and never mentioned it.

I see what you are saying. I removed enough of the gear stuff to allow me to reseal the case. The cam did not come out, but if I read right the shaft can be turned too far and throw things off? Someone on another thread said it's supposed to shift this way, but the shift lever is off 90 degrees. This motor appears to allow full throttle operation in forward or reverse. My evinrude does not do that.

 

[bob1340]

Re: Stupid question.

Thanks for all the comments. Got it figured out. My shift lever was mounted straight up and down, vertically. It should be horizontal. Up for forward, down for reverse. I put a video below showing this. Not my motor, but similar. So I just pulled the lever and moved it. Stupid question answered.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6nuRrjYhP0&feature=related

 

[Orbit Express]

Re: Stupid question.

You have to be carefull with topics like this "stupid question", you often get "stupid answers"

Is the motor mounted on the front or back of the boat?

 

[bob1340]

Re: Stupid question.

You have to be carefull with topics like this "stupid question", you often get "stupid answers"

Is the motor mounted on the front or back of the boat?

Well, the stupid question would be valid regardless of where the motor was mounted. Even if it was mounted upside down on the side of a '57 Ford station wagon the stupid question was valid. I found an answer to the stupid question. So what difference does it make where the motor is mounted as to the shift method?

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Stupid question.

I'm glad you found the answer and updated us. That information will help someone else down the line and is a new tidbit for my brain to store away. (although I'm quickly running out of room!) Enjoy your motor...