3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

[1983ruston]

Anybody know what might have let go inside because she runs fine but shifter does not seem to be working.tia

 

[carholme]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Could be set screws. I'll send you the link to the parts list by PM. Apparently they don't like certain sites here.

Gerry

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Could be set screws. I'll send you the link to the parts list by PM. Apparently they don't like certain sites here.

Gerry

Gerry, the parts link was not allowed for what so ever reason.. (weird site here in that I have to answer a question before posting too) anyway, appreciate you trying to help and also for the quick reply.. I have seen the parts list and diagrams of the parts list online. I was just hoping to find out a quick troubleshoot here from somebody who has experienced such a problem with the side shifter. It seems like it is stuck in forward or reverse no matter which position I throw the side shifter in. I have no manual for this early model and many of the parts have been discontinued and hard to find. Wondering if it is even worth fixing. Thinking maybe to sell it on ebay as is.. engine pull starts and purrs on first pull and everything else is like good as new. Just don't think I want to sink much into an old discontinued model with hard to find parts. thanks again for the kind reply.

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Could be set screws. I'll send you the link to the parts list by PM. Apparently they don't like certain sites here.

Gerry

Gerry, I went to a site that offers the "set screws" which are shown in the parts diagram and seem to be a stocked part and inexpensive so it seems. Is this going to be a difficult service task to reach this part without a manual? Looking at the diagram, it looks like a lot of little parts before and after the "set screw"..I would like to know if there are specific/precautionary disassemble steps if needed? tia, John

 

[carholme]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

John, Disassembly of the shift handle etc is pretty straight forward but as you will see from this link:

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/713_7.cfm

the shift shaft which the shift handle is attached to is located within the drive shaft housing so it means removal of the powerhead.

When you rotate the shift handle, does it seem to be moving the shift shaft or does it seem like it is not connected to anything.

Do you have a s/n for the engine?

Gerry

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

John, Disassembly of the shift handle etc is pretty straight forward but as you will see from this link:

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/713_7.cfm

the shift shaft which the shift handle is attached to is located within the drive shaft housing so it means removal of the powerhead.

When you rotate the shift handle, does it seem to be moving the shift shaft or does it seem like it is not connected to anything.

Do you have a s/n for the engine?

Gerry

Gerry, initially, i found it stuck in the neutral position (before attempting running the engine) mind you this sat in the garage for at least two decades.. My step was draining thelower.. I pulled the lower out and everything is in order (no metal and the seals and everything checked fine. after reassembling the lower and refilling lower.. I pulled the plug and sprayed seafoam, cleaned plug and filled proper mixture 50:1 ratio mix.. pulled and it started .. with prop off in a 5 gal. bucket with level water for cooling.. At this point I found the shift handle kinda stuck so I pushed it and it freed without too much effort.. it now feels like it would as it use to engage.. that being it seems connected as I feel it positioning from forward/into neutral and into reverse.. but also can continue a forth position down.. that being the shifter lever point lever end can point down towards the ground. I ordered the rear and front thruster hubs because the rear was broken and the front seemed alttle worn.. these are plastic parts I managed to find online. At this point I'm not sure if I want to attempt power head removal myself and not sure if it feasible to have a marine center do this. If it is just a hundred bucks to have it serviced fine but, rather not spend too much knowing most these parts for this model are discontinued. thanks for helping once again, John

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

John, Disassembly of the shift handle etc is pretty straight forward but as you will see from this link:

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/713_7.cfm

the shift shaft which the shift handle is attached to is located within the drive shaft housing so it means removal of the powerhead.

When you rotate the shift handle, does it seem to be moving the shift shaft or does it seem like it is not connected to anything.

Do you have a s/n for the engine?

Gerry

Gerry, the S/N is part # 20 in the diagram.. and yes it seems connected as it clicks into forward/neutral /reverse as it should.. it may be something further down inside this shift assembly. not yet sure if I need to attach the prop and thruster hubs in the lower to see if this is all is needed but it would seem unlikely given the fact that the shift lever does nothing to put it in neutral without the prop on. please let me know what you think , Again, I'm grateful for your help , John

 

[carholme]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

John;

No, I meant the s/n (serial number) of the engine. I am trying to get a service manual online for it but the site is down for now. Will try later in the day.

I would put the prop back on and see if it is actually going in gear by prop rotation. When you had the LU off, did you happen to check if it was shifting OK by moving the long shift shaft?

Gerry

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

John;

No, I meant the s/n (serial number) of the engine. I am trying to get a service manual online for it but the site is down for now. Will try later in the day.

I would put the prop back on and see if it is actually going in gear by prop rotation. When you had the LU off, did you happen to check if it was shifting OK by moving the long shift shaft?

Gerry

oh okay, s/n is 6318559 and no I did not check the lu for shifting.. now it is filled with new gear oil. Meantime, I will also try finding the manual online as you suggested.

 

[carholme]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

John;

For future parts ordering, that s/n comes up as a model:

1003203 MERCURY 1983 3.5

Gerry

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

John;

For future parts ordering, that s/n comes up as a model:

1003203 MERCURY 1983 3.5

Gerry

Yes Gerry, that is the correct reference model # I may need parts should I decide I want to take it apart. Hoping someone can pm me a service manual for this particular problem with the shifter.. You mentioned it could be a screw but what number part in the diagram were you referring to as the possible problem? might some screw need tightening or replacing? I know if I have to take the head off, I'm likely to compromise other parts in doing so. And shipping isn't cheap so not having a service manual or experience of this sort, I might be better off looking to have it serviced but not sure where ?

 

[carholme]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Yes, I was thinking of one of the set screws where the attachment is made to the long shift shaft which goes down thru the housing to the LU but as you can feel it making gear selection, that wouldn't be it. Still trying to locate a manual and the site is back up. If i find something, I will let you know.

Gerry

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Yes, I was thinking of one of the set screws where the attachment is made to the long shift shaft which goes down thru the housing to the LU but as you can feel it making gear selection, that wouldn't be it. Still trying to locate a manual and the site is back up. If i find something, I will let you know.

Gerry

thanks for looking for me, I'm going to try and carefully pop the hood .. had it running again in a water bucket.. pretty much know there is a problem at the top.. if I have no instruction steps for this model for removing the upper housing..perhaps it is straight forward and similar service manual procedures as the other small models. I get stuck, I'll let you know either way good buddy, thanks again for your support, John

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Gerry, think I found it.. took the 6 bolts off and detached the fuel shutoff and it came up and off no problem! ! okay see the problem now.. think it is a broken part # 21..?.. looks like the piece that fits into the bushing WOW good think it did stay all together and nothing fell down the housing!. removed bushing and used a tiny hex key to pull broken side off.. now i have to find out if the other sheared off end can be modified or replaced.. think it is part #21 in the diagram ( hope i can find a replacement or possible use some other option to get this done.. bbl let you know how it goes! thumbs up to you Gerry! Thank you , John

 

[carholme]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Excellent John, knew you would get it. Let me know how it works out in the end.

Good Luck.

Gerry

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

I shopped online and found it cheapest with shipping 50.00 lol.. the thrust forward and back hub was from another site shipping 25.00 .. i figure if the engine runs as good as is, it is worth it even though most parts been discontinued and are hard to find. I'm confident it will work out unless something bad caused the shifter to jam and bust as it was.. I will certinly let you know in a few weeks..thank you for your support Gerry and good luck too

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Excellent John, knew you would get it. Let me know how it works out in the end.

Good Luck.

Gerry

Okay Gerry, So far I replaced the thrust forward hub and the other side hub,, also the shifter part mentioned.. I get it to shift now in two positions and realize now that is what it is suppose to do..(either in neutral or Run) The only problem is after re assembling it, I still have no neutral ,, she runs the propeller and idles nice but still no neutral. Now I'm not sure if it is something in the lower .. maybe the shifter rod on the lower has to be further inserted? At the top, I assembled the new part as I found the original and the new part seems to lift and drop the shifter rod but still no neutral.. maybe the lower end needs to be aligned to engage somehow? TIA, John

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

Still no neutral, seems everything above is in order , now I think the shift rod has to somehow connect or insert futher beyond the bearing block (part #42 in the diagram) I definitely installed the replacement part #21 knowing it is positioned and functions at the top and it it inside the bearing block! Engine purrs first pull but still no neutral. Is it possible to connect it by pulling the gear box or is something inside the bearing block ? Either way, I'm likely to have to drain the gear oil again. Gerry, you think Mercury has a number I can call, don't believe I need a manual for this continued model.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

It's been awhile since I've had one of those little lowers apart, but I seem to recall the shift rod doesn't actually attach to anything inside the unit - it simply slides in through the seal/bearing area. It then acts upon the spring on the propshaft to loosen it and disengage the gear from the propshaft for "neutral". If the shift rod is not deep enough or is worn, it won't hit the tang on the spring to disengage. Or, if the spring itself is worn. Could also be the spring is gummed up or rusted to the hub shaft, thus not allowing it to disengage?

I once straightened a bit of the spring on a similar system used on an Evinrude once to get better engagement. I clamped about a half-inch worth of the spring into a vice and straightened it out, then trimmed it back with a file to get the clearance I needed. Not sure if that would work on the Merc unit - like I said, it's been quite a few years since I've had one apart...

 

[1983ruston]

Re: 3.5 mercury side shifter FNR question

It's been awhile since I've had one of those little lowers apart, but I seem to recall the shift rod doesn't actually attach to anything inside the unit - it simply slides in through the seal/bearing area. It then acts upon the spring on the propshaft to loosen it and disengage the gear from the propshaft for "neutral". If the shift rod is not deep enough or is worn, it won't hit the tang on the spring to disengage. Or, if the spring itself is worn. Could also be the spring is gummed up or rusted to the hub shaft, thus not allowing it to disengage?

I once straightened a bit of the spring on a similar system used on an Evinrude once to get better engagement. I clamped about a half-inch worth of the spring into a vice and straightened it out, then trimmed it back with a file to get the clearance I needed. Not sure if that would work on the Merc unit - like I said, it's been quite a few years since I've had one apart...

I read you and see what you are saying! ..also want to mention, upon close examination on the bottom of shift rod.. it is semi round with a flat side.. and what appeared to be a tiny knotch or maybe it chipped or worn away.. ( I said to myself when I looked at this.. maybe to dremel it a 1/16 off for possible engagement. But perhaps you are right about a frozen spring inside the bearing block too! Well at least I'm on to something now and glad I might not need to drain the new lower unit gear oil .. you have helped me my friend and I'm greatful! Gerry and you deserve a metal lol.. I'll be back here later and let you know how it goes! peace and happy boating!