'76 Merc 200 20hp water pump/neutral gear

[nakedblues]

HI guys. I have a problem...

I have, what I assume is correct from oldmercs dot com, a 76 Merc 200 20 hp outboard.

I have NO idea what i'm doing as this is my first outboard motor.

the problems:

I finally broke down and bought a set of 'earmuff's' to flush with hoping that a little pressure would help it pick up. The waterpump doesn't pick up. I sucked a little on the hose, removed from the peehole, and it came through fine so there is no clog on it. So question one. How do I change and or get to the impeller.

Question 2.
While it was running and I was trying to get the waterpump working it was staying either in forward or reverse. Would no hold neutral. Any idea how to get into this?

Any advice, even if just something else I need to check to get further along than where I am, would be appreciated.

Even just showing me where I can get a service manual and parts from would help.
Thanks!

~Nakedblues

 

[nakedblues]

Re: '76 Merc 200 20hp water pump/neutral gear

Update:

I've removed the lower unit. Not sure where to go from here.

1. Waterpump isn't working right and
2. Won't go into Neutral gear.

Please Advise

 

[jbjennings]

Re: '76 Merc 200 20hp water pump/neutral gear

There should be a small rod with splines on it coming up from the front end of the lower unit. That should be the shift rod. If you turn the shift rod in the right direction, it will go into forward. If you rotate it just a little the other direction it should go into neutral, and just a little bit more in the same direction will be in reverse. There is I believe a spring loaded detent that pushes that thing into forward, and makes it difficult for it to stay into neutral without the detent on the shifter handle holding it in neutral. I think that's to get that dog to go into forward really quickly thereby reducing clutch dog wear from people shifting it really slowly and grinding the dog in.