Mercury 200 20hp blueband won't go into reverse

[bungard]

I have been fixing up an old Mercury 200 20hp ~1980 (serial # 5769622). The final issue I am dealing with is getting it to go into reverse. If I remove the lower unit I can manually shift the lower unit through forward-neutral-reverse so it seems fine. I think the problem is with the the shift shaft. It won't rotate far enough to shift the lower unit into reverse.

When I reinstall the lower unit it will only slide onto the shift shaft when the lower unit is in neutral and the gear at the top is in the position shown in attached photo 1.


The lower unit is then in forward when the gear at the top is in the position shown in attached photo 2.


When I try to go to reverse the gear at the top won't rotate any further then that shown in attached photo 3, in this position the lower unit is in neutral not quite in reverse. Even with the lower unit off, the gear won't rotate any further.


Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[flyingscott]

Try putting the lower unit and the shifter in neutral for assembly. Those motors like to jump into gear while you are assembling them throwing the alignment off.

 

[bungard]

Hi Flyingscott, do you know which image I posted represents neutral for the shifter? Thanks.

 

[flyingscott]

Shifter handle on the side will be in the middle of it's travel

 

[bungard]

That's what I did in photo 1, it's a no go for reverse.

 

[flyingscott]

You need to take the motor apart again and put the lower unit in neutral manually with it apart. Then put the shifting lever in neutral and put the motor back together.

 

[bungard]

Photo 1 is representative of that, that is why I have a feeling the shifting lever is out of alignment. I'm more interested in what position the cog should be in in the photo's for neutral - thanks.

 

[racerone]

On some motors the reverse lock has to move to get reverse.-----Perhaps that part of your motor is not moving freely.----Up to you to check this out.

 

[bungard]

The reverse lock is moving well but the cam reaches the end of its run before reverse is engaged, do you think the reverse lock cam is mis-aligned?

 

[bungard]

Reverse lock cam not aligned on Mercury 200 20hp blueband

Hi, I think the reverse lock cam is not aligned correctly on my ~1980 mercury 20hp (serial # 5769622). The misalignment is preventing me from shifting into reverse as the end of the cam is reached before the lower unit shifts to reverse. The picture shows the position of the cam when in neutral. Any input on how to remove/adjust this cam would be greatly appreciated.

 

[GA_Boater]

Please don't start a new topic on the same related problem. It splinters all help being offered.

Do you have a manual? The book explains reverse lock cam positioning.

 

[bungard]

Sorry about the new topic start.... I have the 1965-1991 Mercury 2 stroke 2-20hp service manual, 520 pages and I can't seem to find mention of the reverse lock cam....

 

[GA_Boater]

Look toward the end of the lower unit disassembly/reassembly section for your lower unit. It's one of the last steps if the manual is laid out like other Merc manuals,

 

[bungard]

No Title

Problem solved! The motor is a long shaft so the shift shaft has an extension as shown in photo 1. This extension remained in the upper unit in the reverse lock cam when I removed the lower unit. The bottom of this extension will only slip onto the lower unit shifter one way, whereas the top of this extension will slip into the reverse lock cam in the upper unit multiple ways. I attached this extension to the lower unit photo 2 (only goes on one way) put both upper and lower unit in neutral, then reattached lower unit. Good to go.