I have a 1999 25hp merc. This motor has the shift in the tiller handle. It will shift in and out of fwd and reverse but will not shift into reverse. I really don't know alot about this style shifter. I was told that the motor has to be running to shift into reverse(because of vacuum). I have tried this but still does not work. It seems as though it's bound up or something. It just will not go. I don't want to force it. Any ideas???
<br /><br />Vaccuum has nothing to do with shifting. It's purely mechanical. You probably have an adjustment problem with the twin cables. You'll need a manual, a factory one. Unless you're shifting with the motor not running. In that case the cogs aren't meshing, they're hanging up on top of each other. If you give the prop a bit of a spin (on a non-running motor) as you shift, they should mesh. Forward gear is racheting and the cogs are different. That's why it'll fall into gear in forward and might not in reverse. It shouldn't be any kind of problem on a running motor. Check your gearlube. If it's dry, it won't shift well.