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1986 Forward reverse issue

V

VonThaden

New member
OK, I have to admit, Im not super saavy about outboards so I will give you waht I know aqbout this. I bought a used boat with 1986 45 HP mercury classic fifty motor (model number 1045716) on it that did not run. After changing out the stator and ignition I was able to get it to run. when it came to the prop and shifting, everything appeared to work correctly but because I saw that there was no water running though the motor (due to a bad impeller) I never put the boat on the water to test. I dropped the lower unit to replace the impeller - and after dropping the lower unit I decided to also replace the prop shaft seals as well. thats when I managed to break the Carraige assemble. In the process of finding a replacement, I found a whole lower for almost the same price. however that lower was from a 1988 classic fifty. The lower was in gear (unknow if it was forward or reverse) when I put it back on but I did have the gear selector in forward. I tested and it moved freely from forward to neutral to reverse with the motor off so I decided to to put it in some water and run it - it again shifted freely from forwrd to neutral to reverse or so I thought. Fast forward to today and I put the boat in the water - you guessed it, when I shift into forward the lower shifts into reverse - when i shift to reverse the lower shifts into forward. The other thing that happened was when I gave it some gas with the shifter in reverse and the lower in forward it worked just fine but when I gave some gas with the shifter in forward and the lower in revers it would pop out of gear... I am going to try to put the shifter in reverse to put the lower in forward and then drop the lower and then put the shifter into forward and try to re-assemble it - my question - should that work or should I try something diffrent - this boat has never been in the water since I owned it so I am not sure if it was put togecter correctly in the first place. -
 
There is a specific way to install the lower unit, if it has the cam style lock. The shifter has to be in reverse, the cam on the lower unit needs to face the center of the lower unit and them install. Slow and steady wins the race
 
Perfect I will try that - I have been told that the shifter needed to be in the forward position. I am good with patience as long as I know
what im doing :)
 
Ok put it back on with cam all the way to the front center and then ll the way to the back center with the shifter in the reverse position.- same result - when I pull back on the shifter it goes into forward and when I push forward on the shifter it goes into reverse and pops out of gear - I am beginning to think there is something wrong with that particular lower
 
Put the lower unit and the gear shifter in forward and put it together. Sounds like the cables are backwards on the motor.
 
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