1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

Prospect0r

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
14
My Dock may never be the same. Coming in after a great day on the water, I rounded the bend in the fairway, lined up on my slip, and eased the remote back into neutral then reverse to slow the boat. Nothing happened. Engine stayed in neutral. Gave it more gas, still nothing but high revs. Flipped teh engine in forward, adn had all teh power a man could want. Back to reverse, noth- crunch. Honey, we're home!

So taking the remote off the gear selector, I find the engine is being difficult and reverses to go in reverse. Other guys on teh dock suggested cheking the tilt lock, but it shows no signs of being unlocked. I now have the engine in the basement while I sit and scratch my head.

To move the gear shift into forward there is no real resistance, but to go through neutral and into reverse, something is locking up the selection lever. I hope this is simple.
 

raczekp1

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1,327
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

pull down Lower unit(remove 6 bolts + 1 bolt in shift conector), take out lower unit, try shift forth and back by shift handle, if shift handle moves free so it means the problem is in lower unit.
to repair lower unit is sometimes expensive.cheaper is to by lower unit on ebay

there is very good articlesat the botom of page http://www.sschapterpsa.com/ramblings/Ramblings.html
 

Prospect0r

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
14
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

pull down Lower unit(remove 6 bolts + 1 bolt in shift conector), take out lower unit, try shift forth and back by shift handle, if shift handle moves free so it means the problem is in lower unit.
to repair lower unit is sometimes expensive.cheaper is to by lower unit on ebay

there is very good articlesat the botom of page http://www.sschapterpsa.com/ramblings/Ramblings.html

Thanks for the lower unit tip - I will slip it off and see if the shift lever will go. I was already aware of teh Evinrude/OMC page you linked me through to, but didn't see this problem listed there. Maybe I am missing something.

Another thought - sionce I am still fixated on this being as simple as flipping a switch - is the only tilt lock on these engines the black lever on the stbd side of the engine? Is it possible that the steel loop under the powerhead that locks the tilt may have some secondary linkage that trips the safety for no reverse??
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

I don't remember about the tilt under the powerhead, but have you looked at the shift linkage under the cowling? You can see where the remote cable hooks in, and you can disconnect the cable to see how she shifts at the motor itself. If she's still hard, then you can rule out the remote and/or cables. Might be easier than dropping the lower unit. I'm not so sure there is a "no reverse" trip. Mine had a "no start in gear" switch, but it didn't matter which gear; forward or reverse.
 

the machinist

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 7, 2002
Messages
711
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

Do you use a remote throttle & shift unit or the ones on the motor? If remote then you may have cable issues, even just to where they need cleaned & lubed.

If you are using the shift lever on the motor & it will not shift when the motor is running (AND no previous repairs have been done), I suspect the lower unit may be the problem, as these do not get out of adjustment by themselves.

Check the LARGE slotted drain plug (not the Phillips headed screw). See if any oil drains out & if it may be contaninated by water or bearing parts.

The shifting on this motor MAY not slide into either gear if it is not running or at least cranking the starter. If it does not want to slide in under these conditions DO NOT force it as you will break the lever if the clutch dogs are not perfectly aligned in the gearbox.
 

ONERCBOATER

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 11, 2010
Messages
536
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

alternately with plugs removed in neutral you can rotate the prop and it should go into rev or fwd... that said... what may have moved is the in gear start switch (which i remove for remote starting, and on my jon boat as it is main engine there and if i need it i need it now, keep in mind liability) if both lower unit and shift lever work fine when separate i would be looking at cables and linkage
 

Prospect0r

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
14
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

WOW! Lotsa good replies while I was out playing over the weekend. Thanks to everyone!

I do have a remote control to the cockpit, however with it detached I still can't get the motor to shift gears - I think I can rule out remote control issues.

I have tried to shift both while the motor was idleing and when it was off, and no dice. I have also tried turning the flywheel slowly while toggling the shift lever. I will attempt the suggested turning of the prop while toggling the switch before I drop the lower end.

I sent the motor in for repairs last spring (a year ago) and it worked fine all last summer. At that time they replaced a seal in the lower unit, but should not have had to take apart the gear train to get at it. Besides, it ran perfectly for a year.

I took the boat 3 hours each way across the lake this past weekend, and it runs fine in forward, but still no reverse (this is on a sailboat, so if the engine fails, I can hoist sails.) In the next couple days I will drop the lower end and see if I get anywhere.

Thanks again for all the replies.
Chris
 

Prospect0r

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
14
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

So the engine is on the bench right now. I have taken the lower unit off and still no reverse. Took off the shift link adjustment and still no reverse.

Flipping through the OMC service manual (1980 9.9 and 15HP Models) on the schematic in figure 6-12 it shows Tilt and Reverse Lock components. No other mention is made in teh manual about a reverse lock.

If this lock has been triggered, can someone tell me how it was fired off and how to reset it so I get reverse back? this is all I've got left as a possibility.
 

Daviet

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
8,958
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

The reverse lock is used to lock the engine down so it will not flip up out of the water if you apply a lot of throttle in reverse. It does not lock the lower unit out of reverse.
You have the lower unit off and are shifting on the bench and still cannot get reverse, correct?
Is there any metal particles in the lower unit oil? If you have forward and neutral, I would suspect a problem inside the lower unit, clutch dog maybe.
 

Prospect0r

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
14
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

WOO HOO problem solved!! Thanks everyone for the tips and help!

After taking apart things one at a time, I narrowed it down to the shift lever linkage to the shift shaft at the bottom of the powerhead.

Removed the pull-start
Removed Carb

Jiggled shift lever, took apart linkage, and there in the very bottom of the engine was a stray screw, under where the linkage had been. The screw was acting like a ratchet, jamming against the rod when the lever was put in reverse, but releasing when it was put in forward. Got the screw out (harder than it sounds), reassembled everything, and it all works again. One screw was missing from the bus bar though - an exact match for the one I found in the bottom of the powerhead...
 

Prospect0r

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
14
Re: 1984 Evinrude yachtwin 9.9 - No Reverse

For the benefit of those who come after me...

IF you find yourself with a jammed shifter, and if you may have applied excessive force when you got all loosey goosey as the boat careened into the dock, then after you fix the outboard, take a close look at the cables between the OB and the shifter.

It will ruin your whole day if after bragging to your dockmates about how well your repair went, the next trip is the one where the now-stretched shift cable snaps, leaving the OB in forward when you think it is in reverse and give it throttle for the last 4 feet into your slip.

If anyone knows a good FG shop, its getting close to being that time.
 
Top