Merc 1150 Stuck in Forward gear after Water Pump Fix

[Magneto]

I have a circa 1970 Tower of Power that was running great before removing the lower unit for water pump issues, which turned out to be not torqueing the housing nuts to 50 inch-lbs. I've never had this issue before, but after putting it all back together, I can't get it out of forward gear. I've taken it off again and tried to find neutral, but instead of spinning freely, it clicks. I've tried turning the gear pin all the way clockwise (which I think is forward gear?) and installing it with the shifter all the way forward, and then all the way counter-clockwise, (reverse?) and neither way worked. In fact, whenever I spin the driveshaft, the prop always goes in the same direction regardless of where the gear pin is positioned. Any help out there? I have to get this thing running by Saturday for the grandson!

 

[Fed]

Re: Merc 1150 Stuck in Forward gear after Water Pump Fix

Find neutral while turning the prop & holding the driveshaft still.
In neutral it will be free to turn in both directions but in gear it will ratchet one way or the other.

Then put the controller in neutral and install the lower unit.

If it doesn't slot straight in then get a helper to turn the flywheel a little to line up the drive shaft splines.
If it doesn't slot straight in the get a helper to move the shifter very slightly to line up the shift splines.

I can't remember which engages first so the above steps may be in reverse order.

The only reason people are advised to install them in gear is so that you can turn the prop to align the drive shaft without a helper having to turn the flywheel.
In forward gear you would turn the prop anticlockwise to align the drive shaft.

I'm pretty sure you can also turn the shift shaft with long nose pliers to align as well.

It's all redundant if you get a helper.

(Pull your plug leads off)

 

[Fed]

Re: Merc 1150 Stuck in Forward gear after Water Pump Fix

In fact, whenever I spin the driveshaft, the prop always goes in the same direction regardless of where the gear pin is positioned.

Not if you hold either the prop or the driveshaft while turning the other.

 

[Magneto]

Re: Merc 1150 Stuck in Forward gear after Water Pump Fix

Find neutral while turning the prop & holding the driveshaft still.
In neutral it will be free to turn in both directions but in gear it will ratchet one way or the other.

Then put the controller in neutral and install the lower unit.

If it doesn't slot straight in then get a helper to turn the flywheel a little to line up the drive shaft splines.
If it doesn't slot straight in the get a helper to move the shifter very slightly to line up the shift splines.

I can't remember which engages first so the above steps may be in reverse order.

The only reason people are advised to install them in gear is so that you can turn the prop to align the drive shaft without a helper having to turn the flywheel.
In forward gear you would turn the prop anticlockwise to align the drive shaft.

I'm pretty sure you can also turn the shift shaft with long nose pliers to align as well.

It's all redundant if you get a helper.

(Pull your plug leads off)

Thanks for the response Fed, but if you don't mind could you expand on how exactly I would "find" neutral with the specific procedure? The rest of it I can do. It's "finding" neutral I'm having the issue with. Sorry, I'm a doctor, not a mechanic, although pretty mechanically inclined.

 

[merc850]

Re: Merc 1150 Stuck in Forward gear after Water Pump Fix

This is how I do it in about 60 sec.: Turn the LU shift shaft by hand counter-clockwise until it
stops, then with Vise Grips tight on the bottom of the shaft turn it a
few more degrees CCW until it clicks into a stop, this
should be neutral - check by turning propshaft --
prop should spin freely.Put grease on the sides of the driveshaft splines and on the shift shaft.
Put control in N and go ahead and attach LU to driveshaft housing some turning of the flywheel will help the DS splines align.

 

[Fed]

Re: Merc 1150 Stuck in Forward gear after Water Pump Fix

Yeah vise grips and a little bit of cardboard to protect the splines.
It has been about 40 years since I've done one so I can't remember how the gears lined up with the shift shaft but you'll figure it out.

If you turn the drive shaft in neutral usually the prop will still turn due to friction in the bearings for the gears, one is always a little tighter than the other. That's why your prop may slowly tick over when running on the muffs in neutral.

I learned a lesson by forcing one that wasn't lined up, shattered the shift shaft & had to pull the powerhead off to replace it. Happy childhood memories.

 

[Magneto]

Re: Merc 1150 Stuck in Forward gear after Water Pump Fix

Great! That's just what I needed. I'll try it real soon and let you all know how it worked out. Thanks for help guys!