Shifter Problem

[Ralph Regar]

I have a 1999 H260 which I purchased new. It has a Merc 9.9 "Bigfoot" model outboard and wheel steering. The gearshift and throttle are incorporated into the Edson steering pedestal. Since I have owned the boat I have had a problem with the gearshift. The engine will either not go into reverse or it will engage, but jump out of gear at the most inconvenient times. Forward gear seems to always work. The people who service the boat have been unable to fix the problem so that it stays fixed. Anyone have a similar problem and found a solution?

 

[Tom Wootton]

Lower unit?

Last time I had a similar problem, it was due to a bad seal on the prop shaft, which allowed water into the gearcase of the lower unit. New seal, new grease, no more jumping out of gear.

 

[Jeff Peltier]

Could be

as simple as a cable out of adjustment, since it stays in forward and not reverse. Jeff Peltier

 

[crazy dave]

ralph

Please advise if I installed that which probably I did. This is new to me but there are some things you can do to adjust that so give me a call. You should have my phone numberCrazy Dave

 

[crazy dave]

status update

Ralph did call me following reading the reply to him. I told him to check for movement of the cables and there is adjustment at both end of the cables to work with. He advised this has been done. I suspect the motor. To make sure, he will put the motor into reverse and watch the cable. If the cable should bend upwards or downwards, then he has enough lever action. Should the motor come out of reverse, then the problem is the engine and I have advised him to go to the dealer whom he bought the motor from and/or Mercury. He will keep me posted./Crazy dave condon

 

[John]

May not be all the way down?

This comment may not apply to the motor used on your boat. However, for what its worth, I had a similar problem with a 4hp Nissan on my h23. It turned out that the motor was not going to the complete down position for motoring. On my engine, there is a rod that activates the gears in the lower end. When the motor is tilted up for sailing or storage, this mechanism "disconnects" the lower end unit. Anyway, the problem was solved by bending down on the tab that activates this rod.