1980 Mercury 70 HP not going in reverse

[jlupica]

Hi All,

I have a 1980 70 HP Mercury outboard (no power tilt). Reverse was working fine then all of a sudden while attempting to back out of the dock, the shifter "locked" when I try to move to reverse, not moving past neutral. I am not an expert at all, but I tried these things when I got it back out of the water as a process of elimination:

1. I tilted the motor up, away from thee locking pins to be sure there was no interference there. It still didn't go to reverse.
2. I disconnected the shifter cable from the motor and tried to shift into reverse, to eliminate ANY problems related to the motor. Didn't work.
3. I disconnected the shift cable from the "throttle control box" up by the steering wheel (not sure what it is called), and the lever moves freely, so its not that either.

So that would mean that it had something to to with the cable. But i felt along the length of the cable and it seems fine, plus it moves into forward no problem.

HELP!!

 

[ajgraz]

Re: 1980 Mercury 70 HP not going in reverse

...2. I disconnected the shifter cable from the motor and tried to shift into reverse, to eliminate ANY problems related to the motor. Didn't work....

^^^ Not understanding what this means...

Did you shift into reverse by hand at the motor (i.e., moving the shift lever on the motor)? And did it go into reverse?
Or are you saying that when you disconnected the cable at the motor, you then tried to shift into (what would be) reverse at the control box, and the lever (or cable end?) wouldn't move?