1979 mercury 115 hp stuck in reverse

123turnier · #1 August 6th, 2008, 07:42 AM

I just bought a 83 sun runner with this Merc on it. Trial run went fantastic. Next day I lauched the boat using reverse to back of the trailer and then shifted into forward without stopping in nutrual first. The shift cable was off when I took the cover off, I put it back on and it was stuck in reverse. It will start in reverse but won't shift. I took both cables of and tried to shift by hand with no luck-stuck. I would think that this has happened to many other people, but I can't find many with the same problem. I sure hope it is a easy fix. Can anyone advise me please?

tredragon · #2 August 6th, 2008, 01:27 PM

your lower unit is probably stuck in reverse, the shift cable linkage came off, and now it's back on but not right. take the cable linkage off again, put the controls in reverse, then re-attach the linkage. check prop spin direction while shifting controls (motor off) to see if this worked.

123turnier · #3 August 6th, 2008, 05:35 PM

Thank you for the advise. I work nights so I won't get to it until Friday. Is it not posible that when I removed both cables and tried to manualy slide the shift mecanisum along its rail that is sould of went into nutrual? I have never worked on outboards, so I wouldn't know.

Please reply again.

Thanks again

tredragon · #4 August 8th, 2008, 12:32 PM

you should be able to shift the lower unit into neutral by moving the linkage by hand, yes. Then put the controls into Neutral and adjust the cable's locknut/adjustment nut until you can re-attach cable without moving linkage. Make sure prop is spinning in both directions very freely to ensure you are in neutral in the lower unit. After reattaching cable, shift controls first into forward, check prop spins forward only, then reverse, checking prop again for reverse only spin.

123turnier · #5 August 8th, 2008, 11:30 PM

Thank you Tre,

I got it out of reverse. I removed the cables again and moved the external shift rod that went down to the L/U. Went right into nutrual. The retaining mechanism on the shifting cable was about .300" loose. Tightened it up so it couldn't pop off again. I talked to the last owner and he said to put it in forward gear before raising the motor. It binds in nutrual when lifting. Thank you so much for the advise.