1963 18hp evinrude fasttwin stuck in forward.

fireshadow

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Jul 25, 2010
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I went out and ran my new to me 63 18hp fasttwin yesterday for the first time. After setting the carb she ran great and shifted fine. After being on the water for a while running her on and off she tried to jump out of forward. Now all she has if forward. Shift lever moves fine and the shift linkage is moving. Just wondering what in the gear case could be causing this. I haven't had time to crack the gear case open yet.
 

asdasc

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 28, 2008
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Re: 1963 18hp evinrude fasttwin stuck in forward.

Usually, the problem is that it won't shift out of reverse. If that is the issue, take the oval plate off the side of the leg and most likely the shifter linkage has come apart. Remove the TOP bolt completely, slide the shaft back in, then put the bolt back in, being careful not to strip the bolt in the soft brass connector.

If it truely is the stuck in forward, chances are that you pulled the PHILLIPS screw on the bottom of the lower unit to drain the oil, and you disconnected the Y arm on the yoke. The Phillips screw is never to be removed for that reason. You can PROBABLY get it back in right by laying the engine on it's side, removing the phillips screw and messing with the shift lever until you see them line up, then put the screw back in. The screw is the pivot point on the shifter linkage.

If neither of those are the issue, I am stumped! Good luck and let us know what you find.
 

fireshadow

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Jul 25, 2010
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Re: 1963 18hp evinrude fasttwin stuck in forward.

Checked the linkage and didn't remove the philipps head from the bottom. Going to split the gear case tomorrow and see what went wrong in there.
 

asdasc

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 28, 2008
Messages
680
Re: 1963 18hp evinrude fasttwin stuck in forward.

OK, if you didn't remove the Phillips, there is little to go wrong down below. Did you check to see if the linkage moves up and down under the oval cover when you move the shift lever up top? I wonder if the problem is up where the shift lever on the side of the engine is? Maybe a loose bolt or something broken there?

Unless there is a water leak in the bottom unit anyway, I wouldn't take that apart unless I had too.

One other idea, I have had one shifter lever rust out and fail. That is in the lower unit where the phillips screw goes in. The rest of the lower unit was rusted on that motor, though as it was left with water in the gearcase for a bunch of years, just sitting.
 

fireshadow

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Jul 25, 2010
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Re: 1963 18hp evinrude fasttwin stuck in forward.

Linkage moves up and down with the lever fine and there is no water in the lower unit. Drained it last night. First two things I checked.
 

asdasc

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
680
Re: 1963 18hp evinrude fasttwin stuck in forward.

Wow, I am stumped. I guess you will have to crack the lower unit open and see what is going on.

Let me know what you found, I am curious now!
 

fireshadow

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Jul 25, 2010
Messages
29
Re: 1963 18hp evinrude fasttwin stuck in forward.

The cradle broke free from the shift fork. Easy fix. Glad it got stuck in first.
 
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