85 Mercury Outboard - no neutral or reverse

dhacker1282

Recruit
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
3
Hey folks. I swapped out the impeller/waterpump pieces in my 35HP Mercury Outboard (Serial number A185900). This is the first I've ever done this, and am new to outboard motors. Since I've done that, my prop shaft only ratchets clockwise, regardless of the gear it is in. It worked fine before I tore into it. All the cables/linkages appear to be working fine. I have two theories...

1 - I had it in drive when I pulled the lower unit, and possibly had it in neutral when I re-installed.

2 - I used the Mercury service manual to put it back together. It suggests I need more parts than what I pulled off (or at least I think I pulled off). I could have lost a couple, but seems unlikely, as I was extremely careful. The manual indicates I need a nylon washer (appears to have a goiter - keyed), and a reverse cam lock on the top side of the lower shift shaft. I do not recall seeing these pieces at all when disassembling.

Thoughts???

Thanks!
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,036
Re: 85 Mercury Outboard - no neutral or reverse

I do not have direct experience on that motor, so I cannot comment on the missing parts question.

What you are experiencing with the missing neutral and reverse is common after dropping the gearcase. I recommend you drop the lower unit again, and set the control and gearcase to neutral, and reinstall it.
 

arsenalpsu

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Messages
290
Re: 85 Mercury Outboard - no neutral or reverse

I dropped the lower until on my old Chrysler and Merc. and did the same thing the first time. Make sure both are in neutral and before you screw the bolts down shift to make sure the prop spins free in neutral and locks when it's in F & R.
 

dhacker1282

Recruit
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
3
Re: 85 Mercury Outboard - no neutral or reverse

Thanks for the replies. Anyone have an idea on how I go about putting the gearcase in nuetral? There's just the lower shift shaft. I did try turning it by hand, to no avail.
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,036
Re: 85 Mercury Outboard - no neutral or reverse

The lower shiftshaft is difficult to turn from froward to neutral. Use a small cresent wrench on the base of the shiftshaft to coax it into neutral. Be careful not to mess up the splines.
 

dhacker1282

Recruit
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
3
Re: 85 Mercury Outboard - no neutral or reverse

SUCCESS!!!!!!! I put both the remote control and the lower unit into neutral, and was done in 15 minutes! Thanks so much for the help guys.
 
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