Evinrude not shifting to forward gear

[decdrummer]

Hello all! I have a quick question. Motor is a 1965 Evinrude Sportfour.

Motor is finally running smooth, however it is only shifting into Neutral and Reverse, can't get it to shift into Forward gear while motor is running, the gears sound as if they are grinding when I try and shift it (lower unit got rebuilt and resealed a few months ago). When I shift it to forward with the motor off, the prop turns clockwise and I hear the motor coughing(?) so it's going into gear when the motor is off, but not enough it seems to drive.

I have disconnected my shift cable and am manually shifting the motor from the gearshift lever on the starboard side of the motor.

I am wondering if any of you can help me with this issue, it seems as if it's just a micro adjustment on the gearshifter, but I need some insight.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Evinrude not shifting to forward gear

The engine is obviously a manual shift model. Remove the side plate(s) from the long exhaust housing so as to double check and inspect the brass shift connector. Make sure that the shift rods are exactly where they belong... the groove in the shift rods must be aligned with the threaded holes in the brass shift connector.

While that brass shift connector is exposed... grab onto it with something which will allow you to keep it from moving, then move the shift lever itself to determine if there is play in the linkage at some point between the shift lever and the brass connector. If play exists, then obviously there is your problem (one of them at least).

Possibly you have a shift cable that has had its inner wire cable broken at one time which would make the proper shift throw impossible. The cable is an exact length... if shortened, it's useless. If the cable is okay, check the cable centering alignment at the engine as follows.

(Centering Shift Cable)
(J. Reeves)

When all is as it should be, the proper method to adjust the shift cable is to disconnect the cable from the engine. Move the shift linkage on the engine to find the center of the play in neutral, and when found, leave it centered.

Now, grab the end of the shift cable sleeve, push and pull it to find the center of the play there, and center that play.

Adjust the trunion on the threaded portion of the shift cable so that the centered play of the cable lines up with the centered play of the engine's shift linkage. Install and lock the shift cable with the retaining clamp in that position. That's it.