forward position and reverse positoin stay in reverse

I have a Honda 8HP remote outboard on a 27 foot sailboat. I backed out of my slip today and when I moved the lever forward and powered up the motor went in reverse. I place it in neutral and the prop stops spinning. I bring the lever back it goes in reverse. I pass through neutral and into forward again it goes into reverse. no matter what i do I only have neutral and reverse. After a hair-raising maneuver I was able to dock in an empty slip. I removed the top and observed the cable push and pull in the correct directions. So it must be something going on in the gearbox. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. tnx ted

I would start by dropping the foot off the outboard and seeing if actuating it directly gives the same result. If so then it is going to need to be disassembled. Unfortunately there isn't any way to get to the actuator and dog clutch without pulling the prop shaft and bearing carrier out. Like so many things with outboard, disassembly isn't that difficult providing corrosion doesn't bite you.

Stuart

thanks stuart. With your approach - it turns out that I was incorrect stating the problem - the problem turns out to be no neutral, no forward - it is actually stuck in reverse period. I cannot see the rod going down into gear box but the cables and spin levers on top appear to be doing what they are supposed to be doing.

Teddy1 said:

thanks stuart. With your approach - it turns out that I was incorrect stating the problem - the problem turns out to be no neutral, no forward - it is actually stuck in reverse period. I cannot see the rod going down into gear box but the cables and spin levers on top appear to be doing what they are supposed to be doing.

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Check to see if the shift shaft coupling is properly adjusted.

So when you say you cannot see the rod going down into the gearbox, do you mean through the leg of the outboard, or your have the foot off and you can't see beyond the oil seal that keeps the gearbox oil in? If it is all still attached it could be that it doesn't have the correct amount of travel and the cable needs adjusting as tschlar says, but it would have to be a fair way out to give you not change of gear at all. It could be that it has become separated completely in the leg. From memory Honda's use a push-pull arrangement rather than a rotating selector shaft so it may not be connected at all inside the leg.

Stuart

DangarStu said:

So when you say you cannot see the rod going down into the gearbox, do you mean through the leg of the outboard, or your have the foot off and you can't see beyond the oil seal that keeps the gearbox oil in? If it is all still attached it could be that it doesn't have the correct amount of travel and the cable needs adjusting as tschlar says, but it would have to be a fair way out to give you not change of gear at all. It could be that it has become separated completely in the leg. From memory Honda's use a push-pull arrangement rather than a rotating selector shaft so it may not be connected at all inside the leg.

Stuart

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Tried to track tschlar's suggestion (thank you tschlar) but you are correct Stuart in description of obstruction. Beyond taking the motor off I don't think i can access the area you are both talking about. I have a mechanic coming by tomorrow and will relate all you have suggested to him. He mentioned that his first approach will be to force the prop to spin the opposite way .. He thinks it just might be jammed into reverse. Will let yoou know results .. Thank you for yr input .. I have a bette understanding now of what I should be looking for.

keith

Thanks guys for your help. Mechanic came by the boat today - first thing he did was check the coupling of the shift rod just above the propeller blade underneath the water line - it had disconnected so it remained in gear. He was able to reattach the coupling, adjust the position
and tighten the lock nuts without being able to see what he was doing and hands in water that was just above freezing.
My hats off to Mike the Mechanic who knows motors so well he can do it blindfolded.