Re: Reverse Locking Cam
OK, maybe that one shifts in the opposite direction! So you're saying that you rotate the shift shaft Clockwise to get from Fwd gear to Neutral?
Most (not all but the majority) of big Mercs shift Counter-Clockwise to get from Fwd to Neutral to Reverse. Any more rotation in the CCW direction (if possible), would cause the L/U to drop back into Fwd gear. Then, if you continue rotating the shift shaft in the CCW direction, you'd eventually get to the point where it'll shift into Neutral, then Reverse.
Anyway, what you need to do is figure out where Neutral is then shift right back to Fwd, only turning the shift shaft as much as it takes to get into Fwd and no more.
It's at this point the reverse lock cams can be assembled with the 2 cams 'nested' into each other.
I guess it's immaterial which way the shift shaft is rotating, just so long as you're at the point in Fwd gear where any more motion will shift to Neutral. It's possible to move the shift shaft around a whole bunch more when the gearbox is in Fwd, but if it's off you'll only get Fwd gear (that's what usually happens).
So, anyway, get 'er clocked correctly and I bet she goes back together nicely.
HTH.........ed
p.s. I didn't ask but is it all back together and you're shifting from the control box? Here's a hint, the shift lever on the side of the motor goes all the way back for Fwd gear and all the way to the front of the cowling for Reverse, with Neutral of course being somewhere in between. Maybe that little clue will help you figure it out.