Help !! Reverse lock linkage !!

[jddenham]

Howdy,

I'm just getting ready to sell my merc 50HP (1976) and realized that the linkage that locks the motor down in reverse does not engage. The Seloc manual does not cover this. How do I investigate this further, and what is the common problem with this?

It's been like this ever since I got it earlier this summer. In fact I can't give it too much throttle in reverse or it pops up out of the water!

Could it be something as simple as not lining things up right the last time the impeller was changed?

Thanks for reading,

James

 

[Mike722]

Re: Help !! Reverse lock linkage !!

I do not know about mercury manual locks, but dad's Chysler is just a lever you flip manually on the front of the engine right at the transom. I do not believe the impeller change would have anything to do with it.

Maybe someone else knows more about your engine.

Mike

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Help !! Reverse lock linkage !!

James, The reverse lock is a spring loaded lever that rides on a rubber cam on the lower unit shift shaft. When you shift the motor into neutral, the cam turns to allow the lever to lower a hook on the motor midsection, (under the power of the spring) to grab the tilt pin in the clamp bracket. If you do not have the tilt pin installed, the spring is weak, the hook is missing or misadjusted, the lock will not work.

 

[Smig]

Re: Help !! Reverse lock linkage !!

On one of my motors, the rubber cam is damaged so it doesn't fully engage the reverse lock. If Chris's suggestions don't fix it, that may be another place to look.