help with 50 hp mercury 500

[giant92]

I'm gonna try to explain the best I can.Its stuck in gear.Friend put water pump in.
I took the lower off.The shifter part that you have to turn to put in neutral turns freely 3/4 of the way to the right and left.When I turn it 3/4 of the way freely like its not catching on anything, Could somebody please explain what I need to do to fix this problem
Thanks

Giant92

 

[sdestael]

Re: help with 50 hp mercury 500

I just picked up a '61 Merc 500 and I wasn't able to shift it either. It turned out that there is a tensioner on the linkage (looks like a wire), that was stuck under the linkage and, the linkage was up to high because of it. My linkage was hitting the bottom of the carb. Pulled the tensioner out far enough to push the linkage in place and it works great.