[froggers&whales]

I have a '66 Evinrude Sportwin 9.5 HPthat was running fine but now fails to disengage from reverse. The shifting lever moves but does not allow the engine to slip back into neutral, let alone engage the engine in the forward gear. Does anyone have a suggestion on how I might fix this? Any help would be much appreciated!

[fireman57]

Sounds like the screw came out of the connecting rod to the lower unit. I don't go that far back but I know that some of the recent models (at least since the 70's) have an inspection plate about halfway down the lower unit. Take these two bolts out and you should be able to see a brass coupling in there. Check and make sure that they are secure. I think if you put the engine in forward it is easier to get to. Put it in forward and remove the top screw and see it you can get the rod to push in the coupling better and retighten. If this is not right someone will be along shortly to tell me I'm wrong and give you the solution. I don't have a manual for your engine but you should.

[CATransplant]

Sounds to me like the upper shift rod has separated at the connector from the lower shift rod. That will have this effect. You can shift into reverse, because that's a pushing motion on the shift rod. Trying to shift out of reverse is impossible, because the upper shaft is loose and can't pull the lower part of the shift rod.I haven't worked on this motor, so I don't know exactly where this connector is located. On some engines it's behind a plate on the midsection. On others, it's behind the water intake screen. On others, it's up near the powerhead.Your manual will show its position on this motor.

[CATransplant]

I've been looking at the exploded views for your engine (or a '68, the closest I can come.) I can't find an inspection plate on your lower covers, but the shift linkage clamp is in there somewhere. Look on your engine for a little plate on the midsection. It'll have 2 screws, which you have to remove. That should give you access.However, it may be, on this engine, which has two covers which bolt together and form the midsection, that one or the other must be removed completely to access the clamp.In any case, the rods have a groove on the ends where they enter the clamp. The groove must match up with the clamping bolts, since that's actually what holds them into position. In many cases, these darned things get stripped by over-tightening. The clamp is still available, so if yours is stripped, you'll need a new one. It is just possible to fix these, but I'm not going to get into that, since it's a bodgy operation, and shouldn't be used if the correct part is available.Again, you'll need a manual for this repair...no question about it. If you have to split the midsection, there are all sorts of seals, bushings, rubber gaskets, and the like that have to be installed correctly.

[CATransplant]

Fireman...we seem to have been writing at the same time, there. Colliding advice, but the same, really.

[froggers&whales]

Thanks, both of you. I don't see an access panel, it must require removal of the mid-section side plate. I've ordered the manual and will take a stab at it. Thanks again!

[Paul Moir]

The 9.5hp doesn't have a window. Remove the bolts that hold the lower unit on and drop it an inch or thereabouts and you'll find the shift rod connector.It may be the connection between the shift lever and the shift rod too, up underneath the powerhead. If things look ok at the shift rod connector, then you'll have to start looking there.This didn't happen directly after replacing the lower unit oil did it?

[froggers&whales]

Paul, Thanks for your response. I did replace the lower unit oil a short while back but I operated the engine afterwards (this 9.5 is a kicker and sometimes trolling motor). When I changed the oil I do remember that I had some difficulty lining up a sliding rod or something with the drain plug. Is that the rod that connects to a shift mechanism? Was it supposed to slip down away from the hole that the drain screw goes into?