Reverse adjustment.

[dozerII]

1981 Mercruiser 140 Drive # 5961547, Replaced the water pump, shift shaft bushings with the updated ones, new shift cable and all bellows. Reassembled every thing and adjusted the shift cable. The lower unit seems to have an excess of front to back play in the prop shaft,about 1/4". When I shift to forward I get a good lock with ratchet in the other direction, in reverse it clicks in one direction and ratchets in the other, if I reach under the out drive and press on the shift fork to the port side it will lock solid. I tried taking the shift cable of the shift plate and pulling on it as hard as I can and it still won't lock into reverse without pressing on the shift fork. Any ideas.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gm280]

Not knowing your engine as well as others, it sounds like the 1/4" end play is too much. That could mean you need some new thrust washers or something in the actual foot to remove that endplay and allow the shift dog to lock in in both forward and reverse... But that is just my uneducated on your engine opinion...

 

[Bt Doctur]

!/4 inch is way too much play in a prop shaft.
You could have a worn shift spool, lower splined shaft is corroded , lower brass shoe corroded, shift slide jammed with corrosion preventing the slide from getting to full reverse, a broken wheel on the shift arm, a loose fit on the shift arm where goes into the slides fork, worn inner core of the shift cable.

 

[achris]

Measure the float. If 1/4" is just a rough estimate it could be a ways off. 1/8" is acceptable...

Also have a look up in the stickies for my video of the shift cable adjustment procedure.... That might help...

Chris.......

 

[dozerII]

Thanks Guys, I checked the end play and yes I over estimated it, it is an 1/8 inch, I will check the video and see if I somehow screwed the adjustment up.

 

[dozerII]

Iboats is awesome, Chris your video put me on the right track got it to lock in reverse. I'm thinking there may be some wear in the lower as I had to use almost all of the slot to get reverse to lock in.

Thanks again.