45hp shifting reversed????

[sptjet90Reflexx]

Has anyone ever seen this before? Reverse is forward and forward is reverse.... how is this possible

 

[sptjet90Reflexx]

ok well clearly this lower unit had the shift cam reversed some how.. do I need to pull the prop shaft out to fix this?

 

[Chinewalker]

What year motor are we working with here? If it's an older model, it's possible the shift rod is just 180 degrees out. A reversed shift cam won't make it shift backwards, it'll just lack the detents.

 

[sptjet90Reflexx]

It's a 1980s classic 50 4cyl. I'll get the serial number off the boat. Could you explain the location of the shift rod? In the lower unit or the rod on the power head going to the foot?

 

[sptjet90Reflexx]

video

 

[emckelvy]

Well that's no good! Only 2 possibilities: It's in the L/U, or it's in the control box.

Only way to know for sure is to pull the engine cowling and watch the shift arm. If the sliding shift cable retainer is at the front of the shifter bracket when you shift into forward, and all the way to the rear of the shifter bracket when you shift into reverse, the problem is in the L/U.

If it's backwards from that, the problem lies in the control box. If that's even possible!

If you get indication that the issue is with the lower unit, you'll need to pull it then turn the shift shaft to see if it can be made to shift in the normal manner (i.e., going from the ~~270 degrees of free-play in Fwd gear, then turning CCW to the first "notch" for Neutral, and then turning more CCW to get into Reverse).

If you shift via the shift shaft and it doesn't work as described, the L/U needs to come apart for inspection/repair.

HTH.........ed

 

[sptjet90Reflexx]

If I shift into reverse, the shifter arm on the motor goes stern.

 

[emckelvy]

If I shift into reverse, the shifter arm on the motor goes stern.

So the control box and the shift arm are following correctly? If so, the problem lies in the lower unit and that's even stranger still. Maybe I'm corn-fused??

Or maybe the shift cam is upside down??

OK, to clarify:

1) Control box lever to stern (Reverse);

2) Shift arm to stern (should be Reverse!);

3) Motor actually in Forward??

If so, the only possible answer is upside-down shift cam, as unlikely as it seems. And time to pull L/U for inspection.

 

[sptjet90Reflexx]

I fixed it. Put vise grips on the lower unit shift arm and cranked her around clockwise. It is now shifting properly.

 

[Chinewalker]

Interesting. I though there was a small "wall" in there to prevent the cam from going a full 360 in those...

 

[emckelvy]

Maybe the "bump" between Reverse and Fwd is worn out such that it'll slide back to Reverse then Neutral.

At least it was an easy fix.

Pretty odd, though, with the shift cam looking like this: