You should be using oil meant for a water-cooled outboard motor, not
for an air-cooled chainsaw. There is a difference in the combustion
temperature. The proper mix is 50:1.

I'm assuming you have the Merc 200 (20 hp) with the separate gearshift
lever, not the one with the shift built into the tiller twist grip.
Even so, the gearshift is tied into both the tilt lock mechanism and
the throttle mechanism. You can't shift out of reverse if the throttle
is at too high a speed or the tilt lock is jammed. First I'm assuming
you're shift lever is jammed. Turn the throttle all the way down and
jiggle the motor up and down on the transom a bit as if you're trying
to tilt it and let it down, while trying to move the shift into
neutral. This may unstick the mechanisms. It is safe to shift into
neutral while the engine is not running.

Alternatively, if the shift lever is not stuck, then the shifter gears
in the lower engine cowl and/or the splines in shift shaft coupler
have stripped, or the F-N-R spring in the lower unit is busted or the
dog is stuck. If you can tilt the motor in forward but not neutral,
then it's the latter 2 possibilities. If you left water in it (in the
gearcase) over the winter the clutch dog may have rusted to the
propshaft. Make sure you have fresh lube in the lower unit and if that
doesn't free it up after a short while then you're looking at a
teardown of the lower unit to fix it.

%mod%

(lochawe) wrote in message . com...
Hi,

I am a begginer with engines so bear with me, I have a (second
hand)Merc 200 (20 horse) Kiekhaefer (freshwater used only). I ran it
last year for 4 days with no problem, first trip this year it ran for
first day no problem, second day it didn't want to start, but would
eventually fire up and run in reverse only...any ideas. What we
done:- we made up 1 two stroke mix up with "stihl saw" and 1 with
castrol two stroke...we have done this before with no probs as the
"stihl saw" oil is W something reccomended we were told...still dont
understand how it will only run in reverse...we did have it going in
forward for aroung a half hour after we first got this problem but
then no go.

I have the manual and am going up to change plugs ect...but if anyone
has any pointers/reccomendations I would be most appreciative. BTW I
have searched the archives with no luck.

Regards

David