84 Johnson 35 manual start canbt pull rope in neutral

The lock out for the pull sta

The lock out for the pull start will not let go of the pull start when in neutral. There is a bump on the shift mechanism that is supposed to raise a lever to release the lock when in neutral.The bump does not reach the lever. Is there a part missing? Can I remove the lock out mechanism entirely to solve my problem?

"Dave... If it worked previous

"Dave... If it worked previously, and doesn't now, we can assume that something came loose and went out of adjustment. However, if this engine is new to you and it seems there's something missing, you can't figure it out, and you don't want to put it in the shop... then you're going to have to improvise to get around that problem. The lock out is a safety feature of course, and if you remove it, it may be possible to start that engine in gear with quite a bit of throttle applied (not a good idea).

Is it possible that the lock out lever/shaft is simply stuck?

Joe "

" Thanks Joe , I tried to epox

" Thanks Joe , I tried to epoxy a shim on the shift mecahanism but it made shifting difficult and it did not hold. It did allow pulling the rope in neutral. "