HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

[BACarithers]

A friend of mine has a 86 Sunbird boat with a mercruiser 165. last year he was running down the lake a jet ski cut in front of him and he went to put it into neutral and went by it into reverse. now when you put in forward it still goes into reverse and reverse is in reverse and the prop does spin when in neutral. im thinking that its stuck in reverse. what do i need to do.

 

[BACarithers]

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

Come on!! I know someone has to have some kind of idea of what has happened or how to fix it.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

With the engine off, can you shift it into and out of gear? In forward, the prop should ratchet when turned clockwise and and lock into place when turned counter-clockwise. The opposite for reverse. Then spin freely both directions in neutral. With the engine off, can you detect any difference in the locking direction between forward and reverse?

 

[Showtime22]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

You could check the adjustment and see if you can get forward and reverse to work.

If its an alpha one the shift cable is probably sticking in the outdrive.
There is a spot in the bell housing where the cable passes thru a plastic tube piece and ends with a metal shift linkage. The linkage catches a transition in the plastic tube and doesn't shift.

I think new shift cables are around 80 dollars and you have to remove the outdrive to install.

 

[BACarithers]

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

Ok. but to remove the outdrive to replace the cable doesn't it have to be it forward to take it off. how do i get it into forward.

 

[ziggy]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

i think i'd remove the lower shift cable from the shift plate inside the boat. at that point. the drive and lower shift cable is isolated from the rest from the rest of the boat. try to move the removed shift cable going to the drive with yer fingers. perhaps it'll shift normally. like fm is discribeing. that would lead me to think the problem is in the remote and drive removal won't be necessary.. if ya still can't get the drive to shift. next thing i think i'd do would be to go to the shift shaft coupler between the bellhousing and the upper. it's accessible underneath the drive. it'll look similar to this...

that's the shift shaft coupler on my 1 drive. it's in neutral in the pic. it would be facing fwd if it were in fwd. try to manually move that coupler so it's facing towards the ft. of the boat. that'll allow you to remove the drive. if that's what needs to be done. if ya still can't get it into fwd. from that point. i don't know. but my guess would be destruction of the shift shaft to allow removal of the drive.
folks do get the drive off while not in fwd. it'll bend that shift shaft if done. but they do get the drive off.

 

[505callyourball]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

eh...not for nuthin' but the Adults Only section says to avoid the phrases "HELP!, PLEASE!" and the like as we all have to wait our turn...and it appears juvenile. i'm just sayn'

 

[BACarithers]

Re:Stuck in reverse i think

Re:Stuck in reverse i think

Ok I'll look into that. Anybody else

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

Ok I'll look into that. Anybody else

I think ya got quite a bit of checking to do for now!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

Re: Stuck in reverse i think

"HELP!, PLEASE!"

Ayuh,.... I just Hate being YELLED at too....

Ok I'll look into that. Anybody else

Ziggy just Explained it,... With Pictures,.....

What exactly are you Looking for,..??..??

 

[BACarithers]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

I wasn't trying to yell at nobody. I'm to new this forum stuff so im sorry if i offended anybody. I was just trying to make sure there wasn't anything else that it could be. It's over an hour away so I just wanted to make sure I had all the information that I can have.

 

[cr2k]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

From what you say happened, I would bet there is some damage inside the lower gear case from a powered shift to reverse.

 

[BACarithers]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

Ok i was able to shift it into forward manually with the shift shaft coupler. but i forgot to check to see if i could move the cable with my fingers. so if i can put it into forward manually so the prop catches its actually in forward and no internally damage currect.

 

[Showtime22]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

Yes I think the drive may be okay but you never really know till you water test it.

If you do the cable change yourself -
There usually a little clear plastic spiral heat shield around the cable near the exhaust. Check that its removed before you pull the cable out the rear. The wrap can bind the cable from sliding. Also don't bend or force the new one in.

The new shift cable kit should come with a new shift cable bellows and a new heat shield plastic wrap.

Grease the linkage. Inside and out of the F shaped linkage end, and the roller that it meets with. Sliding the new bellows over the cable is a bit of a challenge.

 

[BACarithers]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

how hard is it to change the cable

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

how hard is it to change the cable

Ayuh,... From 1 to 10,.. it's a 9...

 

[BACarithers]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

The cable moves in and out with my fingers. But it still wont shift it into gear. But I can still shift it into gear manually. So do yall have anymore ideas.

 

[Showtime22]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

If the shift cable isn't working properly it probably needs to be replaced.
The fast shifting may have strained the cable.

 

[BACarithers]

Re: HELP!!!! Stuck in reverse i think HELP!!!!

Thanks. Now the SOB aint gettin gas. This thing is a pain in the ***. I'm a tractor machanic and boats are totally different.