no reverse

[joe belcastro]

Help info needed, I have a 1978 mercury OB 700 , 70HP. I had the idle too high and put it in reverse, the motor jumped up a little. I didn't pay too much attention at that point. Now it rev's ok in revese but just sits there. Forward is ok no grinding no noises or anything unusual other than no reverse. The prop spins freely in both directions when it's in reverse. The cable seems to move OK, when shifting the cable moves the shift shaft. I have been told that the HUB maybe gone or the cable needs to be adjusted? I don't know that much about OB's 1st. boat and still learning. Any ideas before I take it to a shop?

 

[Laddies]

Re: no reverse

If the hub was gone it would not work in Fwd. start by trying to adjust the linkage towards Rev.

 

[OperativeK]

Re: no reverse

I don't know if the merc control box is nearly the same here as on mine but the two teeth(inside the control box) were worn on mine and would cause the shift not to ingage in one direction corretly. I had to fabricate a new piece and now works good. Forward is reverse and reverse is now forward though. lol nobody is going to steel my boat, let alone know how to start it either. If when you put it in reverse it was kidna grabby then not then grabby again probably just need to adjust your cables some. If you ever had your control box open insure you have the mark for neutral in the right pos prior to doing the adjustments.