120 HP Force stuck in Forward

[JeffBarr20]

Hello,<br /><br />I have a 1997 120 HP Force motor that I just replaced the impeller on. When starting the motor, I noticed that the motor was always in the forward gear no matter what I did with the controls.<br /><br />I was looking at some posts from a awhile ago and they mentioned the lower shift gear is probably in the wrong position. I disassembled the lower unit but now I am stuck on what to adjust. Can someone help me with where the shift gear is located on the lower unit, and what needs to be done to place it in neutral. How do I tell I'm in neutral?? What needs to be done after the lower shift gear is placed in neutral??<br /><br />Thanks in advance for the help. I'm pretty novice at this kind of stuff but am willing to learn.

 

[roscoe]

Re: 120 HP Force stuck in Forward

Hi there in Bloomer.<br /><br />Did you actually disassemble the lower unit? or just remove it.<br />If you disasmbled it, you are going to need a repair manual, either a factory manual, or a Clymer manual.<br /><br />Easiest way to get shift mechanism aligned is to shift the lower unit into forward, then shift the controls into forward. Then install the lower unit.<br /><br />Shifting the lower unit into forward is done by rotating the shift rod, which is located just in front of the driveshaft.

 

[JeffBarr20]

Re: 120 HP Force stuck in Forward

The only thing I did to the lower unit was change the impeller, but I may have rotated the lower shift shaft accidentally. <br /><br />How do I know when the shift shaft is in the forward position?<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[dmgray55]

Re: 120 HP Force stuck in Forward

I have been struggling with this same problem for weeks now. I have been trying to get my lower unit back on with full gearcase movement after simply changing the impeller. I have been carefully reading these posts and trying everything that I possibly could only to end up right back where I started...that being a lower unit stuck in forward. I am convinced that my problem is that I am not setting the lower unit correctly before putting it on. The confusing part seems to be that after getting the lower unit into forward there seems to be about 320 degrees of play before hitting neutral and reverse. Where in that wide range do I leave it before attempting to reinstall....full clockwise, full counterclockwise, or somewhere in the middle?

 

[dmgray55]

Re: 120 HP Force stuck in Forward

I have found a simple answer to the "stuck in forward" problem. Leave the gearbox and remote in neutral instead of forward. Take the cover off the engine. When you lift the lower unit on reach up and turn the flywheel only a degree or two. That was all I needed. It went into sync, I bolted it up, and everything is now perfect. I struggled for days trying to do it in forward and for whatever reason it would never shift out of forward. This took about two minutes and made me about the happiest guy in town. Hope this may help some of the many people that seem to struggle with this problem. Most of all thanks to all the guys that share their expertise on this forum.