2204 Opti 225 Very Hard Shift Throttle

[Dlloyd]

Hello Mercury Team,

My 2004 Opti 225 is super hard in trying to shift either into forward or reverse.
I can push the shift release button on the side of the throttle box and rev the motor without any issues.
When I return the throttle stick to the center to engage the shift cable.
This is where I can't get the motor to go into any gear forward nor reverse.
The boat was sitting for 1 1/2 months and I wanted to fire it up to get the cobb webs out.
Could you please instruct me for areas to look at and check.

Also what type of lube does Mercury recommend to use on the linkages?
My friend has also mentioned to me there is a gear box under the engine that engages the lower unit.
It this box is rusty, you will also not be able to shift the gear cable.

Please Help.

Don Lloyd
email: wilskyhome@aol.com

[flabum1017]

Hello Mercury Team,

My 2004 Opti 225 is super hard in trying to shift either into forward or reverse.
I can push the shift release button on the side of the throttle box and rev the motor without any issues.
When I return the throttle stick to the center to engage the shift cable.
This is where I can't get the motor to go into any gear forward nor reverse.
The boat was sitting for 1 1/2 months and I wanted to fire it up to get the cobb webs out.
Could you please instruct me for areas to look at and check.

Also what type of lube does Mercury recommend to use on the linkages?
My friend has also mentioned to me there is a gear box under the engine that engages the lower unit.
It this box is rusty, you will also not be able to shift the gear cable.

Please Help.

Don Lloyd
email: wilskyhome@aol.com

Disconnect the cable at the engine and try to shift the linkage on the engine by hand while spinning the prop. It should shift fairly easy. If it does, you likely have a bad shift cable. If it does not, then remove the gearcase and see how easy the linkage moves... it should move freely. If it does, then you have a problem in the gearcase, if it does not, then the shift shaft is binding under the powerhead where it goes through the mid-section (will have to pull powerhead to fix).

[Dlloyd]

Sorry for taking this long to get back to the posting. I pulled the gear case and confirmed it was not the cables. I manually moved the shift linkage and there is resistance leading me to the shift shaft. What would happed if I put some CLR down the shift shaft to dissolve some of the rust ? My gear case is still off, can I lube it from the bottom spraying up ? Any help greatly appreciated.

Regards

Don

[flabum1017]

Sorry for taking this long to get back to the posting. I pulled the gear case and confirmed it was not the cables. I manually moved the shift linkage and there is resistance leading me to the shift shaft. What would happed if I put some CLR down the shift shaft to dissolve some of the rust ? My gear case is still off, can I lube it from the bottom spraying up ? Any help greatly appreciated.

Regards

Don

The binding will be in the adapter housing where the shaft shaft goes through under the intake. The shift shaft is free from there down. There is a plastic bushing in the aluminum adapter where the sift shaft goes through. CLR will not fix it. The aluminum has corroded and is now squeezing on the bushing and shaft shaft.

I have in the past removed the plastic side covers and heated the area where the bushing is to melt the bushing and sprayed lubricant in there. This of course is a temporary afro-rig. To repair it proper, you need to pull the power head and the shaft, pull the bushing and clean the corrosion from the bushing bore and put a new bushing in with a ton of grease.

[flabum1017]

Oh, BTW, control cables will feel fine with no load on them.... have someone put a little resistance on them when testing them.