I think I messed up Need help please!!

[REEDSY68]

I have an 1989 merc 150 xr4. I changed the waterpump which went very smoothly. I put the lower unit back on, hooked up the earmuffs and started it up. The problem is that the prop is spinning while it is in neutral. Before I removed the lower unit I put it in forward. I guess that might have been the wrong thing to do. What do I have to do to fix this problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

Take the lower unit back down and try putting them both in neutral when you put it back up.

-W

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

My 86 150 almost always ends up in gear when I am replacing the water pump. Now I just remove and replace it in gear; haven't had any problems this way.​

 

[achris]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

When the shift shaft (in the gearbox) moves into forward it can move a long way round. It's sometimes a bit of a bugger to get it all back together right the first time, but as the first replay said, put both the gearbox and the control box in neutral and try it.

Chris...............

 

[Windykid]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

When you change the impellar on that engine it is suposed to be in foward, If not then you have to remove spark plugs and turn flywheel to line up drive shaft. With it in gear you turn the prop to align.

Now before you pull any thing apart, check in foward (not running) that the prop locks one way and rachets the other.

Nuetral should be able to turn in both directions with ease or turning motor.

Reverse you should be able to turn the motor in either directions.

 

[achris]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

When you change the impellar on that engine it is suposed to be in foward, If not then you have to remove spark plugs and turn flywheel to line up drive shaft. With it in gear you turn the prop to align.

?????

Never hear that one before.... the amount required to move the crank to line up the splines is tiny, just a small movement on the flywheel will do it. Never had to remove spark plugs!!! If you turn the prop backwards in forward gear to line up the driveshaft then you run the risk of flicking a blade backwards on the impeller and that is not too good.

Chris...............

 

[Windykid]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

Pulling the spark plugs is to make it easy to turn and prevent an acidental start.

 

[OptsyEagle]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

Now this may be a stupid answer, but don't all props turn, when in neutral. I know mine always does and I was told it is because the drive shaft gear is always turning and since it is completely submerged in oil, the centrifugal force ends up turning the propeller a little. I doubt it will move your boat very far, but it does turn, when in nuetral.

 

[ricksrster]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

to line up the spines, just a small amount of turn is needed. 1 degree sometimes is too much.

 

[REEDSY68]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

Just wanted to thank everyone that responded to my post. I got it fixed and works like a champ. What I did was drop the lower unit back down and left the control in neutral. I turned the shift shaft spline by hand until I got it in neutral and the prop turned freely in both directions. I slid the lower unit back up and did some minor alignment using the flywheel. Tested it out and everything worked great.

Thanks again,
Jeff

 

[achris]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

It's nice to hear of a happy ending ... Glad we could help....

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: I think I messed up Need help please!!

When you change the impellar on that engine it is suposed to be in foward, If not then you have to remove spark plugs and turn flywheel to line up drive shaft. With it in gear you turn the prop to align.

Now before you pull any thing apart, check in foward (not running) that the prop locks one way and rachets the other.

Nuetral should be able to turn in both directions with ease or turning motor.

Reverse you should be able to turn the motor in either directions.

The above is only one suggested method, and franly I don;t like it much, for the very problem the original poster had. And you don't have to remove the plugs. If the ignition is *off* there can be no accidental start. I prefer neutral because of the neutral detent in the lower unit - where forward leaves too much rotation to be "sure". I just have a helper rotate the flywheel a little bit so the drive splines go up - it only takes 1/10 of a turn one way or the other.

-W