Won't go in reverse (video)

[cwlson]

So I have a 25 hp mariner I Believe It's Mid To Late 80's Motor shifts into forward and neutral but won't go into reverse. The lower unit shifts fine into reverse and if I use a wrench and push down on the shift rod it wil start to go into reverse and the prop spins like it's going into gear is there a way to adjust the upper shift rod to come down further to engage reverse?

 

[Sea Rider]

Engine must be ON for reverse to lock in properly....9 out of 10 times lever won't shift into reverse with engine OFF. You could have a shift lever stopper plate missaligment, check at front of pan area.

Happy Boating

 

[cwlson]

It does the same thing with the engine running I will check the pan area tomorrow for a stopper plate but I don't recall seeing one

 

[cwlson]

I looked this morning and didn't see anything stopping the shift linkage prematurely. Looks like it's making its full travel but it's just not pushing the linkage down far enough

 

[Sea Rider]

Rear lever must have a stopper plate or some sort of mechanism on to which it locks onto when shifting forward or reverse as for the gear not to jump to neutral when engine it's on its way., post a pic of the lever area if possible. There's a nut on lower leg, probably the rod height, was not adjusted back correctly when lower leg was pulled out.

Happy Boating

 

[minuteman62-64]

There's a nut on lower leg, probably the rod height, was not adjusted back correctly when lower leg was pulled out.

Happy Boating

That's where I'd look. It's the coupling/lock nut accessible via the opening in the drive shaft housing. If you disconnect any remote control cables you can fiddle around with the shirt lever/adjusting coupling-nut till it shifts correctly (you can get it into reverse by spinning the prop by hand). Then, if it shifts correctly with the shift handle on the motor, any problems will be upstream towards the remote shifter handle.

 

[cwlson]

I don't see a stopper or anything that appears to stop the shift. I dropped the lower unit again and with the lower unit off if I shift into reverse on the motor I can push the shaft back up about a quarter of an inch without the shifter moving at all so there seems to be play in that top shaft somewhere as the lower unit itself shifts fine.

 

[Sea Rider]

With leg off, can you move the shift lever up and down with lever not stopping at any point while doing so. If so, there isn't any stop mechanism holding rear lever. With lower leg removed, move up and down protruding shift rod and check if with side play and where's located.

Happy Boating

 

[cwlson]

With the leg off if I shift the motor it "clicks" into forward neutral and reverse. I if I have it in reverse and go down to the shift shaft where the lower unit bolts to and push up on that rod the rod will go up about a quarter of an inch without any of the other mechanisms above it moving. I'm assuming this is not normal and this is why I'm not getting reverse because once that lever gets any resistance it "slides" up staying in neutral. I'm not sure this is even making any sense lol

 

[cwlson]

any ideas as to what could be loose under the powerhead to cause the play in the shift shaft?

 

[minuteman62-64]

I used to be able to find the parts diagram for my motor ('82, 30A) on the Crowley site. They seem to have revamped the site and I can't find my motor at all on there. If I remember correctly, there aren't very many components where excessive play could occur and have the linkage still all connected.

I'll keep looking for a parts diagram.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Ah. Here it is - showed up under a different model, but the parts are the same: http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/655_80.cfm

Maybe you'll get some ideas from that.

 

[cwlson]

Hrmm I'm not seeing anything that would/could cause play. Looks like I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and pull it apart and see what's going on

 

[minuteman62-64]

Not sure where you are on this, but, I have my LU pulled today. Fiddled with the upper shift shaft. Nowhere near 1/4" up and down play - maybe 1/16" at most.

How are you coming on this?

 

[cwlson]

I ended up getting it fixed had to pull the power head and replace part of the shift linkage that broke. Never actually got the boat in the water though I managed to crash it into a tree. Just my luck