35 hp shifting problem please help

[Bill mat]

1986 2cycle 2 cylinder. Won’t shift gears. With the lower unit off I can go from forward,neutral and reverse by moving the shaft with my hand. I keep thinking that I have the cam that prevents the unit from kicking back in reverse in wrong. I am at my wits end and would take it somewhere if I knew who would fix it right. If I left off the cam just to see if that’s the problem would that work? Is there any other things I should check? I am going to try one more time and then find a repair shop that would work on old outboards. It is a 35 hp.

 

[racerone]

If you can shift it by turning the shift rod on the lower unit , it is not a lower unit issue.----Check shift rod / and spline between lower unit and power head.-----Re-assemble with lower unit in neutral and control box in neutral.

 

[Bill mat]

Thanks I will try that on Tuesday when I have a day off