I simply did not want to do this but know I should. Turns out it is
not a problem. The lower unit drops very easy and is fairly
lightweight. I have not yet put it back on but do not anticipate
probs.
Not sure why I was so hesitant when normally I will take apart
anything.

On Mar 22, 12:30*pm, Frogwatch wrote:
I simply did not want to do this but know I should. *Turns out it is
not a problem. *The lower unit drops very easy and is fairly
lightweight. *I have not yet put it back on but do not anticipate
probs.
Not sure why I was so hesitant when normally I will take apart
anything.

OK, maybe not so easy. It went back together in spite of admonitions
from the manual that it would not unless things were aligned properly,
too easy it seems. Start motor, it runs.........shift in fwd, prop
turns correct. Shift in reverse, prop turns the same way. Huh. OK,
I verify that no matter how I shift it rotates the same way.
Hmmmm, check manual about shift adjustment. Put her in Neutral, prop
spins by hand both ways, GOOD. Put all way in reverse, prop spins
both ways by hand, hmmmm, not so good. Put in FWD, prop spins by hand
both ways, not good.
Hmmmm........shift is not engaging. How could this happen? If the
male part of the shift thing on the lower unit did not get into the
female part in the upper unit is what I think. Now too dark to do
anything. Will take her apart tomorrow and re-assemble.
I am cursed. Unless I know exactly how things work they do not work
for me. No wonder I hate cell phones.

On Mar 23, 12:24*am, wrote:
On Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:44:09 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch



wrote:
On Mar 22, 12:30 pm, Frogwatch wrote:
I simply did not want to do this but know I should. Turns out it is
not a problem. The lower unit drops very easy and is fairly
lightweight. I have not yet put it back on but do not anticipate
probs.
Not sure why I was so hesitant when normally I will take apart
anything.

OK, maybe not so easy. *It went back together in spite of admonitions
from the manual that it would not unless things were aligned properly,
too easy it seems. *Start motor, it runs.........shift in fwd, prop
turns correct. *Shift in reverse, prop turns the same way. *Huh. *OK,
I verify that no matter how I shift it rotates the same way.
Hmmmm, check manual about shift adjustment. *Put her in Neutral, prop
spins by hand both ways, GOOD. *Put all way in reverse, prop spins
both ways by hand, hmmmm, not so good. *Put in FWD, prop spins by hand
both ways, not good.
Hmmmm........shift is not engaging. *How could this happen? *If the
male part of the shift thing on the lower unit did not get into the
female part in the upper unit is what I think. *Now too dark to do
anything. * Will take her apart tomorrow and re-assemble.
I am cursed. *Unless I know exactly how things work they do not work
for me. *No wonder I hate cell phones.

Did you lose the bushing that connects the two shafts together?

The other possibility is the cam got out of whack and it is not
pushing the actuator in the prop shaft that moves the shift dog.

Try shifting it on the ground, pick a gear, set the shifter *and when
both are the same, put it together.

That may be why Mercury says to put it together in gear

Usually reverse locks the prop either way and forward it will ratchet
going forward. The noise you hear when you shut it off in gear..

Thanks for the advice. Turns out I was correct, the bushing that
connects the two shafts had missed fiting over the bottom splined
shaft so I was getting no shift. I re-did it and it works well now.