Won't shift into reverse!

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strtbobber

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Messages
212
1977 55 hp Evinrude.......model 55772D

My motor will shift into forward perfectly, but not into reverse. When I shift to reverse, it simply grinds. The very odd time, it will eventually grind its way in, but by that time the throttle is already starting to rev the motor. NOT good!!!

I remove the LU today and adjusted the shift rod to precisely 15 29/32". What else could be the problem? Could there be shims missing or something? I'm at wit's end!!!!
 
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Daviet

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Sep 24, 2008
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8,958
Re: Won't shift into reverse!

Is the shift cable adjusted properly?
 
S

strtbobber

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Messages
212
Re: Won't shift into reverse!

Daviet said:
Is the shift cable adjusted properly?
Click to expand...
It's adjusted at the thumb screw. It's maxed out to one end. As soon as I adjust it the other way, it won't near reverse, and it also throw forward out.
 
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bernd64

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 11, 2011
Messages
117
Re: Won't shift into reverse!

you take the mesuremet on the LU on top of the shift housing or of the LU housing the mesurement has to com of the LU housing to do it the rigth way and the shift cable has to be in the center of the tread.
 
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strtbobber

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Oct 12, 2010
Messages
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Re: Won't shift into reverse!

bernd64 said:
you take the mesuremet on the LU on top of the shift housing or of the LU housing the mesurement has to com of the LU housing to do it the rigth way and the shift cable has to be in the center of the tread.
Click to expand...
I took the measurement from the LU housing, not from the shift housing.

If I put the thumb screw in the middle, then it doesn't even try to go into reverse. And it doesn't come out of forward properly then either.
 
mark1961

mark1961

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Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
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Re: Won't shift into reverse!

Just to clarify, the measurement is taken from the mating surface of the lower unit to the centre of the shift rod hole with the unit in neutral.....if you are using a tape measure run it up beside the shift rod at a right angle to the mating surface and use a small straight edge from the centre of the shift rod hole out to the tape to get the measurement......15 29/32" is the length for a electric start shortshaft.
 
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strtbobber

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Oct 12, 2010
Messages
212
Re: Won't shift into reverse!

mark1961 said:
Just to clarify, the measurement is taken from the mating surface of the lower unit to the centre of the shift rod hole with the unit in neutral.....if you are using a tape measure run it up beside the shift rod at a right angle to the mating surface and use a small straight edge from the centre of the shift rod hole out to the tape to get the measurement......15 29/32" is the length for a electric start shortshaft.
Click to expand...
Yup, that's exactly how I measured!
 
mark1961

mark1961

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Apr 30, 2007
Messages
940
Re: Won't shift into reverse!

strtbobber said:
Yup, that's exactly how I measured!
Click to expand...

Did you check that it shifts into both fwd and rev okay manually when you had it off?

It seems as if you might have a stretched cable but that would not have happened overnight, how long have you owned the motor, are the controls original to it?......is the shifting problem the reason you removed the lower unit in the first place?
 
S

strtbobber

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Messages
212
Re: Won't shift into reverse!

mark1961 said:
Did you check that it shifts into both fwd and rev okay manually when you had it off?

It seems as if you might have a stretched cable but that would not have happened overnight, how long have you owned the motor, are the controls original to it?......is the shifting problem the reason you removed the lower unit in the first place?
Click to expand...
I've owned it for a short time. The controls are not the original. I guess you could be right, they could be stretched. It shifts fine into forward and reverse on the muffs. And I've also turned the prop by hand as I get the spousal unit to shift the lever. That all "seems" to work fine. But, when it's in the water, it doesn't work fine. The original reason I removed the LU was to change all the seals and impeller. This time I removed the LU just to confirm the correct shift rod length.
 
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