Logo
FULL SITE MENU

1977 Mercury 50 shifting problems/questions

J

jacobr78

New member
Hello, new to the forum and new to bigger outboards. Here is my problem. I recently purchased a 77 merc 50 hp and put it on my boat. When I took it to the lake today it would not shift into gears. So I thought that maybe I had the shift cable not properly set. So with some trial and error I got it so it would shift into reverse, but no luck in forward. So with more messing around on the shift cable it finally shifted to forward and I was finally able to run around the lake going the right way:) but when I was ready to dock it, I put it in neutral on the mercontrol and it continued moving forward. It finally went to neutral after moving the shifter back and forth but when I went to back it up it would go forward and when I would go forward it would go forward so I shut it off. I then restarted it and it seems like it is stuck in neutral. I haven't messed with the cable anymore as I just wanted to get it off the lake. Is there a way to properly set the cable? Is something binding that I am missing? Why would it go forward when I was trying to reverse? Is it something with the mercontrol? Is it the lower unit? Very frustrated and have a not so happy wife. Thanks for the help. Just want to know what my next step should be.
 
kimcrwbr1 said:
Pull the cables off of the motor and see how smooth the controls work? When running on the muffs remove the shift cable and manually shift it into forward then reverse then neutral. If it shifts good manually it is probably the controls need rebuilt usually just replace the bushings inside is all it needs but installing new cables will help also. Are the cables the right length if you take it apart measure for the proper cable length. The first step is to confirm it is in the controls or the engine.
Click to expand...

I pulled the cover off of the motor this morning and the shift cable was off so that explains why it wouldn't shift. After doing some thinking, when hooking up the cables do the barrel nuts have to be a certain way? And could that be causing the shifting problems? But I will give that a try with the cables off and try shifting it. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the help.
 
The barrel nuts on the cable slide right into the pockets and then the lock mechanism holds them securely in place.---If lock mechanism is broken then perhaps a couple of ty-wraps helps hold them in.
 
So looking at it this morning I took the cables off and when I went to move them they locked up. So I put the controls that we're original to the motor back on. With the cables off I attempted to shift the motor into f-n-r. It would fall into neutral and shift to reverse. But it wouldn't shift to forward. Any ideas what that would be? Or why was I able to run the motor in forward yesterday. It doesn't make sence.
 
Could it have been possible that when the previous owner replaced the water pump he didn't have the shaft not lined up like I keep reading about? And if so how do you drop the lower unit?
 
kimcrwbr1 said:
Have you tried shifting the motor manually with the controls disconnected you must have missed that. with the engine off turn the prop as you shift in forward and reverse. Then shift into neutral the prop should spin free. Set the controls in neutral and then adjust the cables to fit. Sometimes you need to adjust the shift cable a little heavy. Are shifting fast or slow it is impostant to be aggressive when you shift into gear do not try and ease it in.
Click to expand...

i did shift it without the controls off and it only goes into reverse and neutral. What's my next step?
 
I wrote that wrong, I did shift it with the controls off. And it wouldn't go into forward. But it doesn't make sense that I was able to get it into gear on the lake yesterday. If the lower unit was bad there should be no way it would move right?
 
Motor should not be shifted to reverse when it is not running.--------Remove the lower unit and shift it off the motor.---That will establish whether there is something wrong or not.----Just a 5/8" wrench and a 5/8" socket to remove some nuts and one hidden screw under the trim tab.
 
Back
Top