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60 hp Mercury 4 stroke 2005 model Yesterday pulled lower unit and replaced impeller. Had gear shift in forward. Today hooked up to water to test. Wouldn't start and wouldn't shift to reverse. I assume i turned the short rod as I turned the prop when seating the lower back. So tomorrow I will pull the lower unit again. but have no idea what to do to get everything in sync again. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks
You'll need to drop the lower unit, place the shifter into forward and then rotate the shift shaft in the lower unit clockwise while turning the prop backwards. That should put the lower back into forward. From that point, do NOT allow the prop to rotate in a forward or clockwise manner. As the lower begins to mate with the midsection, turn the prop backwards so that the driveshaft while index with the crank. DO NOT get the lower close to being on and use the attaching bolts to pull it together. The shiftshaft is splined in such a way that if it's not indexed, it will be damaged. If you used the attaching bolts to pull the lower unit up on the first go around, you will probably have to pry the unit off and asses any damage.
Good advice, go slow.
If doing it by your self. You can pull spark plugs , make sure both remote and lower unit is in neutral, slowly insert lower unit , if doesn't want to go up anymore reach up with a ratchet a socket and turn just a little.
Put the control in neutral and use pliers to rotate the shift shaft back in neutral. Be careful when putting it back in, doesn't take much of a bump to knock it in forward, it is spring assisted.
Not sure about the newer ones, but on the old ones you had to support the shift rod by hand (higher up on the leg) to get it on the shaft in the lower unit.
Take the cowl off and turn the flywheel just a little by hand to get the driveshaft splines lined up.
Put both the control and the lower unit in forward gear, your engine runs clockwise looking from the top, grab the lower unit input shaft and turn it to see which way the prop shaft is turning make sure it is turning the right direction. As you slide the lower unit up make sure you catch the shift rod then rotate the prop shaft to alighn with the power head, much easier then trying to turn the power head to align the gears. Checking to make sure the gears are working have someone rotate the prop shaft and change gears by the remote, should go into gear easily, will not go into gear if the prop shaft is not rotated unless by luck the lower unit gears just happened to be aligned.
Only thing on those Mercs with a splined shaft , I always worry that you'll get the shift shaft off a tooth if you do not have the controls just right. There's no chance of that with them in neutral.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bricks
Okay You mechanical geniuses. You helped me fix it. Followed your directions But to show you what a mechanical nit wit I am, I thought the long rod was the gear rod. ha! So I put it together wrong three times. When it dawned on me that the short rod that slid down in the rubber guide was the gear rod it went right together, but dang! My 78 year old back was killing me and my wife was tired and mad of being in the cold garage turning the prop.
So this is my take on the situation. The lower unit has to be in the same gear as the gear shift. Being in forward makes it simpler. Turning the prop backwards at the right time while holding the gear rod solved that. And when you have it right the lower unit goes all the way up against the upper unit.
I spent the next day changing the spark plugs. Why did Mercury let that be so contrary? Sometimes they need to be changed while on the water. I know people that switched to other brands because of that. But I have spent lots of hours trolling with this unit and it has served me well.
You had it just right sliderman. I really admire you skilled mechanics. When I was growing up here in Kentucky , my neighbors would say after a favor "MUCH OBLIGED". So thats for all you guys. And if we live through this corona virus plague drop by Nancy Kentucky and I will buy you a hamburger and take you fishing.