1975 7.5hp Mercury Thunderbolt - Problems: Reverse lock, shift handle, & shift shaft
Purchased this motor for $150 which had not been started in a few years. After dropping the Lower Unit, I noticed the impeller needed to be replaced. Got a new part, replaced impeller, and that's where everything went south! After attaching the lower unit, I have the following problems...
1. Shift handle, in "vertical" position, is in Forward. Move about 45 degrees to the left, i'm in neutral, and all the way down (horizontal), you got reverse. From all the videos/forums, i'm aware that vertical should be Neutral, and about 45 degrees to the right is Forward, and opposite direction from Neutral, you have Reverse. I cannot move the shift handle from it's vertical state to the right, but in vertical, I know it's in FWD because the propeller has resistance when spinning left/right..
2. I am almost certain the Reverse Lock mechanism was either broken and/or disengaged by the previous owner. The link rod, or "hook" was completely outside of the cam. My thinking is that he did this to bypass the reverse lock cam in order to be able to move from FWD to Neutral and Reverse. I have reinserted the link rod and it does not easily engage/disengage the reverse lock when moving from Fwd, to Neutral, to Reverse. Once I move the shift handle to reverse, the reverse lock mechanism does not want to disengage.
3. Last...and i'm not sure if this is/not correct...the "blind" spline on the shift shaft, when in Neutral, should be facing forward, correct? I feel like this has some how moved or jumped. When I move the shift shaft with a pair of vise grips/padding on shaft, the "blind" spline is off center in Neutral (props spins freely left/right). If I rotate the shift shaft CCW, it jumps into FWD. If I return back to Neutral position and turn the shift shaft CW, i'm in Reverse. Is this correct or, as I mentioned, should the flat part of the shift shaft "blind" spline be facing directly toward drive shaft?
I feel this could ALL be somehow related to the fact that the Reverse Lock (cam/link rod) is not working properly. Ordered a Mercury Service Manual for 1975-78 models for $20 off Amazon (what a bargain) and should be arriving in a few deals. Hopefully this helps.
Thoughts???
Purchased this motor for $150 which had not been started in a few years. After dropping the Lower Unit, I noticed the impeller needed to be replaced. Got a new part, replaced impeller, and that's where everything went south! After attaching the lower unit, I have the following problems...
1. Shift handle, in "vertical" position, is in Forward. Move about 45 degrees to the left, i'm in neutral, and all the way down (horizontal), you got reverse. From all the videos/forums, i'm aware that vertical should be Neutral, and about 45 degrees to the right is Forward, and opposite direction from Neutral, you have Reverse. I cannot move the shift handle from it's vertical state to the right, but in vertical, I know it's in FWD because the propeller has resistance when spinning left/right..
2. I am almost certain the Reverse Lock mechanism was either broken and/or disengaged by the previous owner. The link rod, or "hook" was completely outside of the cam. My thinking is that he did this to bypass the reverse lock cam in order to be able to move from FWD to Neutral and Reverse. I have reinserted the link rod and it does not easily engage/disengage the reverse lock when moving from Fwd, to Neutral, to Reverse. Once I move the shift handle to reverse, the reverse lock mechanism does not want to disengage.
3. Last...and i'm not sure if this is/not correct...the "blind" spline on the shift shaft, when in Neutral, should be facing forward, correct? I feel like this has some how moved or jumped. When I move the shift shaft with a pair of vise grips/padding on shaft, the "blind" spline is off center in Neutral (props spins freely left/right). If I rotate the shift shaft CCW, it jumps into FWD. If I return back to Neutral position and turn the shift shaft CW, i'm in Reverse. Is this correct or, as I mentioned, should the flat part of the shift shaft "blind" spline be facing directly toward drive shaft?
I feel this could ALL be somehow related to the fact that the Reverse Lock (cam/link rod) is not working properly. Ordered a Mercury Service Manual for 1975-78 models for $20 off Amazon (what a bargain) and should be arriving in a few deals. Hopefully this helps.
Thoughts???