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2007 Honda 9.9 will not go into reverse

M

muddywatercustoms

New member
I reinstalled a new shift rod on my Honda 9.9 (2007) and reinstalled the gears and shift pin in neutral before trying to reinstall the lower unit back into the motor. When I shift into forward, the pro shaft locks up, neutral spins free but when I go to put in in reverse, the shift controls on the side of the outboard feel like they are stuck in neutral. I cannot push the shift rod into reverse by hand or the controls will not push it into reverse. I don't want to bend the new shift rod. Can someone please help or identify what my problem may be ?
 
Hi,
Trying to help but hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions.

Are you saying that you replaced shift rod B ("lower")? Item 11 in the parts diagram below.

It's recommended that the barrel adjusting nut (joint), item 12, be threaded to shift rod A, item 13, with the transmission in reverse. But you say you can't shift it into reverse by pushing the shift rod B downward?
Are you rotating the propshaft while trying to shift?


Is the "shoe" (push rod), item 14, connected properly to the bottom of shift rod B? I have had the lower rod turn so that the shoe doesn't contact the "slider" shift pin correctly (item 4 in link below)


Sorry if I'm on the wrong track or didn't fully understand the problem. Just taking a swing at it hoping you get something useful out of the exchange.
 
Yea the previous shift rod b (11) was bent and motion was limited. Replaced that with the push. Rotated the prop shaft while trying to push the rod down and nothing. Seems like it's being held up by something. Took a look at the shift pin and it looked cut, could this have something to do with it? Like it's binding up in the propshaft or something
 
Yeah, that shift pin should be slick and move freely inside the bore. If it's damaged or hanging up on something in there, then that could be your problem. Never seen that before but anything is possible I guess.
 
When I looked at the shift pin, you could see that it was cut. Doesn't look like a factory cut and there was oxidation from what looked like a cut wheel on the side where it was cut. But when I push the propshaft on the table and retract the pin all the way into the bore, the clutch dog is engaging the reverse gear. I'm in between the shift pin being cut and binding up in the propshaft, or like you said the shift push or shoe turning ever so lighting that its binding up. There is a little bit of room to make the shoe rotate when it's connected to the rod. Hard to tell. I'll start at replacing the shift pin and see where that leads me after. Thanks for your help JGMO
 
I hope you get it sorted out. A strange one for sure!
Please update when you can.

Good luck.
 
shift pin from the factory was a lot longer than the previous one. Still having issues with getting the shift rod to bump into reverse, it goes down a little then bounces back up to the previous gear. I cannot figure out why I cannot get a solid "click" into reverse. I have tried to bold down the gears with the shift pin in forward, neutral, and reverse. The other day I was getting the shift levers on the side to go into reverse neutral, and forward but cannot replicate it
 
Two things that come to mind are:

1. The clutch dog teeth..

Are they rounded off? They should be square shouldered with crisp, 90° edges.
If badly worn from poor shifting technique they might not stay engaged.

2. Is the clutch shifter on backwards? Item 1 in link.
It can slide on the propshaft splines either way.

There should be a letter."F" on the clutch shifter and it faces the front of the gearcase.

In other words, the portion of the clutch shifter WITHOUT the F slides on the splines first and faces to the rear.


Just a couple of guesses.
 
The clutch dog teeth look to be crisp, the reverse gear falls into place when the clutch dog is fully engaged back to the reverse position when I was checking it on the work bench. I'm starting to think there may be something in the upper shift linkage that may be causing the rod to not move all the way down and click into place. It will go into reverse but I have to hold the shift lever to keep it there. As soon as I let off, it bounces back into neutral.
 
The clutch dog is positioned with the f facing the forward gear. Everything looks to be in order in the lower unit via the gears, clutch dog, etc. I haven't tried to shift with the motor running in fear of grinding gears since the clutch dog will not fall into reverse with a clear "click". I am lost and have decided to never buy a Honda in my life based on this experience hahaha. I'm am really starting to think my problem may be in the upper shift linkage mechanisms.
 
Well, I don't know. Before I did anything else I would disconnect the the lower shift rod from the upper rod and shift it into reverse manually and see if it stays in reverse. If it does then you would know for sure that the problem isn't in the gearcase. Just remember to slowly rotate the prop when shifting by hand or anytime the engine isn't running.
 
As I said before, DISCONNECT the coupler and try pushing the lower rod down while turning the prop.
If it won't go into reverse and STAY there, there's something wrong inside the gearcase. What it is I can't tell you but at least you'll know where to look.

This sounds like someone has boogered around with that transmission and maybe installed the wrong (probably salvaged) parts. You've already said that the shift pin was not right and even had a cut in it.
 
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