" Dave,
Can't help
" Dave,
Can't help w/ finding a mechanic, but as far as the engine, here's my .02. Check the compression first, it should be over about 110 and within 10 across cylinders.
If compression is good, the bogging problem is probably being caused by a lean mix (lack of fuel) from the low speed jet. If the engine has been sitting for a while, the sure fire way to go about getting the carb adjustments straight it is to disassemble, carefully clean, and rebuild the carbs. Over time, what tends to happen is fuel evaporates and leaves a varnish, clogging the jets - a very common problem. After the carb rebuild, bring the low speed jet adjustment screw in slowly and carefully until it is bottomed out, and then back it out 1.5 turns; start adjustments from there. If you want to chance it, without the rebuild (not recommended), bring those low speed adjustments screws out 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn and give it a shot.
As for the metal shavings; if we are talking about small hairlike shavings on the magnet of the drain plug - this is normal and tolerable. If we are talking about splinters or chips, that lower unit needs service - ballpark $1200 for a lower unit rebuild. As for the lack of shifting into reverse; it's either that something has really gone wrong in there, or the lower unit has been installed incorrectly. The way that unit shifts is by rotating the shift shaft (cam or whatever they call it).. there is a splined fitting on on the shift-shaft that slips over the short splined shaft coming out of the lower unit. This is a very touchy thing - not hard to get right, but if you are off by only one spline, it's not going to work right. I believe it's a 30 degree difference between gears - not much. If your cables are mal-adjusted by a large margin, it will also not work right.
To determine what exactly is going on, pull the lower unit off. Depending on exactly which of several lower units you have, things may work a bit differently, but you will find that there are 3 different positions the shaft can be shifted in. If you go too far one way or the other, the shaft may simply seem to spin freely - find a socket that fit's the shaft and play with it. Take a look at the direction the shift rod spins when you shift in and out of forward/reverse, it will help in understanding how this thing works. When you've got it figured out, put the lower unit in reverse and spin the driveshaft clockwise - if it spins the propshaft/prop the lower unit is OK - put the controls in reverse and re-install the lower unit, by a couple bolts, exactly as you have it. Test to be sure it goes into forward and neutral by turning the flywheel clockwise and verifying that everything turns (or does not) as it should. If things don't work right, double check that there isn't a problem w/ the cable adjustments, before taking the unit off again.
I think it's possible to grind the hell out of things w/ a mal-adjusted or improperly installed shifting mechanisms.. you may be able to blame the chunks (if applicable) to that. Good luck,
Jon "
