1987 Mercury Classic firty Reverse issues (please help me)

Hello

I just purchased a pontoon boat from Oklahoma about 2 months ago. I new that it was not pumping water when we hooked it up to ear muffs. So I took it into my local shop and had them replace the seals and the water pump and I tried to back it off of the trailer and it went into reverse but when I tried to throttle it higher to back off the trailer it would not rev up. The shifter I think has some issues but I am not real sure. This is the first time that I have owned a pontoon boat and I have never driven this one. How does the control work? and what are the two cables for? I think one is throttle and the other is to go into reverse or forward. I am pretty new a boats but am mechanically inclined. Where should I start. I just went out again and watched it a little better and when I pull back on the control it clicks and goes into reverse, but when I pull it back further to give it a little more throttle it goes out of reverse.

thanks for any info you might be able to give
Mike

I tried to throttle it higher to back off the trailer it would not rev up.

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Was it the throttle that did not allow the engine to rev or was it the engine bogging down? Old trailer bunk carpet can cause the pontoon to stick to it. See if you can float it off the trailer.

the engine didn't bog down. when I pull up on the handle and then pull it back to engage reverse it clicks into gear and starts turning but if I try to give it more throttle by moving the handle farther back it comes out of reverse and is like it is in neutral or jumps out of gear. I tried to back the boat in as far as I was comfortable with trying not to put to much of the exhaust of the truck into the water so it could be stuck on the carpet a little. It is like the throttle control is messed up or something.

I will try and float it off the trailer this week some time when the wife and kid is not sitting there saying "lets just go" It is a 24' boat so maybe it just needs to be off the trailer to get it to move. but even when I got it in the driveway with ear muffs hooked to it, it will really only go the one speed in reverse and will not turn any faster

No the control lever is really stiff and does not like to move. I had looked for a kink in it but it probably does need cleaned or replaced. I will try to remove the cables when i get home and see what is going on. I am starting to understand the control a little more now so maybe I can find the issue with what you guys have told me. I know that when I try to find neutral It is kind of off from where it should be.

if I try to give it more throttle by moving the handle farther back it comes out of reverse and is like it is in neutral or jumps out of gear

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You have a rubber hub prop which may be slipping and making it seem like it jumps into neutral. Try another prop.

No the control lever is really stiff and does not like to move.

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Disconnect it at the engine and see if it moves freely. If not it needs to be replaced. The same goes for the shift cable. Make sure the shift cable end is not loose on the shift lever stud at the engine. If loose it wil not shift into reverse easy.

well fellows I removed the cables and identified by marking them with tape. After removing them I tried to put it into neutral without the cables on it and it will not stay there and acts like that it is spring loaded or something as it will not stay in any of the gears except for whatever gear it is that it wants to go back to each time and it seems like that would be reverse. it springs back toward the boat if you know the direction of what I am talking about. It seems like it would be reverse but I am not sure. Could the shop that I took it to messed up on the alignment when they reinstalled the lower after replacing the water pump? If anyone has got a quick explanation and would like to call me that would be cool but if not I understand. just in case my number is 1-316-323-2338 and I live in the Wichita Kansas area. Thanks again guys

With engine off you may need to turn the prop by hand to shift into forward or reverse. Do the cables move easily?

so what happens if i do shift this with the prop not turning. what havve i screwed up?

Shifting nuetral to forward is not a problem.--------Shifting from nuetral to reverse may put high loads on control box / cable components if motor is not running or propshaft is not turned by hand / foot.

Thanks guys. I have not been on for awhile and figured that i would give a update. I just rebuilt the carbs and got them back on because it was not wanting to run very good after taking it to the shop in ElDorado so i figured i had better get it running good again. Well it runs great now! Yeah!! I started it up and shifted it into reverse and forward and it seams to shift fine, so i started in on the linkage to the shifter. I am wondering if the guy i bought it from had just put these on or something because it looks like he has the cables backwards. It seams to me one of them is longer and the other is shorter. I am hoping to get back out there this evening and hammer it out. I switched them around at the motor and now i will switch them around at the control i think. wish me luck

Okay fellas, I finally got the boat to run pretty good with ear muffs on at the house. When I took it out yesterday it started up fine and idled like it is supposed to. I got out past the buoys and gave it some more gas and started to go pretty good so I just set it at a low cruising speed and just kept an eye on it. I went out a little ways and then shut it off and made sure it wanted to start back up. Looks like everything is going good until, I did the same thing a few more times. After a while when I would give it more throttle just like before, but this time it acts like it is losing power and I also hear a grinding noise when I try and hammer the throttle down.
Does anyone know what this might be?
Thanks for all of your guys help getting me this far. I am learning a lot more about outboards along the way, but I would like to enjoy some time on the lake instead of time in the driveway.

Thanks
Mike

The reverse issue is fine now i believe. It just takes a lot to get that big girl off the trailer. Of course i fixed the linkage on it as well. FYI

It just takes a lot to get that big girl off the trailer.

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Change the trailer bunks' carpet. Very easy to do it at the lake. Use the non-backed carpet because it won't hold water and is easy to work with. While at home pull most of the staples out of the carpet leaving a few on the end/sides. Go to the lake w/your tools: new carpet, T-50 stainless 3/8" staples and hand gun or electric gun w/a small generator and extention cord, pliers, wire side cutters, scissors, razor knife, small hammer and wrenches to tighten the bunks.

Launch the pontoon and park the trailer in the shade. Rip off the old carpet, tighten the bunks, stretch the carpet after fitting and stapling at one end and secure the other end w/a few staples. Wrap the bunks w/the carpet, staple one side and stretch and staple the other side every few feet. Finnish stapling when you get home. I used an electric staple gun at home.

Inpect the bottoms of the bunks to see if you need to replace any broken ones at the lake. Take a good battery powered drill and driver (I use Milwaukee tools...holds a charge a long time when working) w/drill bits and power driver sockets. Soak every nut and bolt w/penetrating oil the night before you go.