1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

[snayke62]

Hello. i have a 1989 bayliner capri i got and it has a 1977 115 hp six cylinder two stroke merc on it. the lower unit was off and controls boken and cables disconnected. i put it back together and got the engine running. but the shifting was wrong. ive had the lower unit off and on half dozen times and cannot get the shift shaft in the right spot to synch up with the cable for the controls. with the unit on the floor im having trouble finding a nuetral position. i can get it into foward and revers it seems like. but there is no detent position that allows a free spinning prop. im wondering if something is wrong with the lower unit. ive never worked on a damn boat before. i am an experienced diesel mechanic so i would assume i could make this repair happen. but im having trouble. ive had it together once with a foward and kind of a nuetral with some clicking noise when spiining prop but no reverse, and ive had it together once with a reverse and kinda nuetral with some clicking but no foward. how the hell do i make this work? or is something wrong? please help. i dont have a manual.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

Try spinning the shiftshaft 180 degs you might have it on the backside of the cam at present
Turn the driveshaft a bit at the time

 

[snayke62]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

i read somewhere to turn the shiftshaft counter clock wise until it clicks into nutral. then set controls to nuetral. so i been doing that. so i should try rotating clockwise to the nuetral detent your saying? and should i be able to free spin the prop with the unit off? the only way i can get a free spin is to manually hold the shaft inbetween a gear. and theres no way i can stab it and hold it there at the same time.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

yep rotate the other way since it isnt workin that way.
Yes you can free spin with the unit off

"the only way i can get a free spin is to manually hold the shaft inbetween a gear"
That to me sounds like its using the back of the cam

Your next option would be to lift off the shaft bushing while keeping the shift shaft held down firmly, drain the lu and see if the cam is stuffed

 

[snayke62]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

ive played with that damn shiftshaft every which way you can turn it for a half hour the the other day. i can not turn it either way to the detent and free spin the prop. ill play with is some more when i can. but damn it seems like i should be able to select nuetral and free spin the prop. is this usually a tricky task to install these lower units to shift right?

can u explain this shaft bushing lifting deal you spoke of better?

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

Lift everything off the shiftshaft, all the bits and pieces on it, and then while holding down the shiftshaft undo the bushing that the shiftshaft goes through. I use a coldchisel to get it to turn, sometimes some heat too.
There is a snap pin under the bushing that is attached to the shiftshaft which stops the shiftshaft lifting when you drop the LU etc.
You dont want the shiftshaft to lift as it is hard yakka to get the cam back in behind the cam follower if that happens.
Once you have the bushing removed if you drain the oil you will be able to see the cam and whats going on

 

[snayke62]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

oh gotcha. except there is no pieces there on the shaft other than a rubber dust cover or isolator that sits un top of the bushing. it looked to me like it is missing something but not sure. looked like some slots it the casting that a plastic retainer would go around the shaft and maybe help support the linkage or something. idk. like i said this was all kinda apart by someone that shouldnt be allowed to own tools. im looking at getting a manual. but ive been busy doing a front gear train and timing cover on a big block ford. on the plus side of the deal, i bought the boat, trailor and engine for 300 bux. and the motor runs like a mofo.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

Ha mofo havent heard that for a while. yeah things go on top to lock down the unit in reverse.
No big deal, the manual will show you them and they wont affect your problem here. You can pick them all up on the internet if you want them later. Good to have the manual for these to keep them tuned up.
I wish we got the ford f series here. Had a straight six falcon before, I miss it for cruising compared with the toyota pickup i have now

 

[snayke62]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

Ill try and find a manual. theres a few boat dealers around here. Honestly id take a toyota over a ford anyday. the tundra is bad*****. My buddy has one. only thing i didnt like about about it was the wide turning radius. Ill keep you posted with what i find when i try puuting the lu back on for the 15th time. i apreciate your help

 

[snayke62]

Re: 1977 115hp mercury shifting problem please help

ok, so i downloaded a manual from murcury for 5 bux. and read it. seems as though there is a early model type 1 and 2 shifters. and an "ez shift" option for the gear selection. i have the early model type 1. and it says to put it in "foward gear" to install. the ez shift style you would put in nuetral. this almost makes sense to me cause if i stab it in foward, then when i move the controls to nuetral the shaft should hold it inbetween foward and reverse gears even though there is no actual detent for a nuetral. when it stops raining ill give it another shot.