50 HP mercury wont shift into N or R

[redmosquito1983]

Hey all, first post here. Just picked up a 1999 smoker craft 160 stinger for a family fishing boat, it has a 1999 mercury 50HP ELPTO outboard on it. When I bought it I was told that it wouldn't go into reverse but that it was a shift cable issue and was given 2 new cables and a smoking deal on the boat.

Well, tonight I pulled the shift cable off and manually shifted it into reverse and neutral and nothing changed when I moved the prop manually.

My thought is the lower unit was removed at somepoint and not put back together correctly, dude I bought it from said he went out one day and it worked fine, the next day it would engage reverse and he isnt mechanically inclined so he didnt get into it besides ordering new cables. I'm hoping that its just that it wasnt aligned correctly or something stupid, any tips on where to start?
Thanks

 

[Chris1956]

It is very possible for the shift shaft to be so far in forward that it will not shift out of it. Neutral is CCW from forward. Reverse is CCW from neutral.

Drop gearcase, set control to neutral, set gearcase to neutral, by turning lower shift rod CCW until it clicks into neutral, then align driveshaft and shift shaft and reinstall.

If you need a new waterpump, this would be the time to install it.


I

 

[redmosquito1983]

It is very possible for the shift shaft to be so far in forward that it will not shift out of it. Neutral is CCW from forward. Reverse is CCW from neutral.

Drop gearcase, set control to neutral, set gearcase to neutral, by turning lower shift rod CCW until it clicks into neutral, then align driveshaft and shift shaft and reinstall.

If you need a new waterpump, this would be the time to install it.


I

Ok, do I need any gaskets or seals to drop the gear case?

 

[Chris1956]

You do not need any gaskets or seals. You do need to put some grease on the driveshaft and shift shaft splines, before reassembly. You also need to mate driveshaft and shift shaft splines, during reassembly.

 

[redmosquito1983]

Ok

You do not need any gaskets or seals. You do need to put some grease on the driveshaft and shift shaft splines, before reassembly. You also need to mate driveshaft and shift shaft splines, during reassembly.

Ok I dropped the gear case but this motor has the shift shaft coupler that has to be unbolted and lifts up and down. I tried shifting it but it still won’t disengage forward. I guess I’ll keep digging deeper, maybe the cam follower or spring is busted.

 

[jimmbo]

What's the Serial #? That will help in getting the proper Illustrations
As mentioned above to apply a bit of grease on the splines, just don't put any Grease on the ends of the shafts, or Hydraulic Lock can prevent proper reinstallation of the unit

 

[redmosquito1983]

serial number is 0G904161

Pulled the bearing carrier and shift shaft out, seems to be missing the cam follower and spring. everything else seems to be functioning and is clean so I'm guessing someone was in the lower end and it never ran after that. Would have preferred that info over what I got. But there weren't any chunks of metal floating around the gear oil, which is good.

 

[redmosquito1983]

Just to update : it is very important to reinstall everything when taking apart something! Found the follower cam at a local marina and that is all I needed to get to shifting. Reinstalled everything and all is well now, time to hit the water!