No forward shift

[Bloodweiser]

Lower unit drain plug.

 

[Sparkdog118]

When you shift by hand, should be able to shift easily with 2 fingers while engine is running. If there is a gushing issue, it will be just under the intake of the power head. There are 2 bushings there. 1 small one under the clip and one behind the grease fitting. If you can get a grease gun on the fitting you can grease the large one. How long has it been since the shift has worked properly?

 

[Sparkdog118]

If the metal came from the clutch, it will have a brass color. Gears are metallic silver color. Take the metal off the screw and run it between your fingers. Should not feel the metal chunks. Normal gear wear is extremely fine. Brass flakes will be in the oil when you drain it if the clutch is worn.

 

[seasick]

Do that tomorrow afternoon. I was able to spray some boeshield on the linkage and it seemed to make a improvement. Could there be a bushing issue?

It could be. When you try shifting the lever manually, are you turning the prop by hand? You should especially when trying for reverse.
For this test, the shift cable linkage has to be disconnected.
Hopefully, shifting works in that test.
If it does, make a note or a mark as to where the neutral position of the lever is as well as the lever position for full forward and reverse.
Now with the gear box in neutral, see if the cable linkage with the shift handle in neutral, lines up with the neutral position of the shift rod lever. If it does not, adjust the cable accordingly. Now reconnect the shift linkage and try to go into forward at the helm. You may need to rotate the prop.Verify that the lever moves as far as noted earlier.
If that works, try the same for reverse. You probably will need to rotate the prop.

While you are at it, check the linkage where the sheath of the shift cable is attached to the motor castings. You are checking the part of the cable that shouldn't move when the shift handle is moved. Sometimes that connection pops open or breaks and the cable sheath moves instead of the cable core wire.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[Bloodweiser]

I am testing it with motor off and shift cable disconnected. Reverse always works. Rotate prop by hand and it goes in to reverse gear. Reverse to N to forward rotate prop sometimes free spins. Back to N to forward sometimes in gear.. Then it works for several cycles. Back to N to R to N to forward free spins..

Drain plug was very fine dust.

 

[seasick]

Some fine dust doesn't worry me very much. Pieces or chips of metal would. When you shift into forward and it spins, does the shift lever rotate as far as it does when it goes into gear?
If so, you may have a fairly serious LU problem; perhaps a broken gear or dog clutch tooth. I dont have a parts diagram handy so I don't know if it is possible that the shift lever may have come loose from the shift shaft either up top or on the bottom.
You may need to seek a mechanic's help.

 

[Fishtales]

That sux…. Good luck with your investigation.

 

[Bloodweiser]

I can see up top that the shift levers seem to be rotating in both direction.

 

[Sparkdog118]

sounds like it is time to remove the lower unit and shift the unit with a pair of vise grips. grab it LIGHTLY at the bottom of the splines and shift it while you turn the prop. if you experience the same result with forward, your clutch to gear teeth are worn. sometimes you can get away with a new clutch if the gear teeth are not that worn. if you need a forward gear, you will need a 15/27 gear ratio set. that is 225hp only. 150hp-200 use a 14/26 ratio and a pro v uses a 14/28. all these gears fit in the same housing, so if you are looking at a used unit, you need to know what gear ratio is inside. that is if you have the 2.6l model. what year is your 225. do you have the 2.6l or the 3.1l engine. if you have the later model 3.1l you have a bolt in prop shaft carrier you have a 16/29 gear ratio. if you end up looking into a replacement unit, just be careful of the gear ratio because different horse power motors have different gear ratios and they look identical from the outside.

 

[Sparkdog118]

just realized from your shift link pic. you have a 4 stroke, not a 2 stroke. totally different unit. they have a14/21 ratio. same gears also fit a 250hp and 300 hp.

 

[Bloodweiser]

Thanks everyone for all the help. I'm thinking it's time to find a good shop. I'll post what they find.

 

[Fishtales]

Prob the best move at this point.

 

[SkunkBoat]

drop the lower unit. one last chance to test it without all the linkage.
If its shot, you can drop off the lower unit for service and get it done faster and cheaper.

 

[Bloodweiser]

if I drop the lower is there any seal/gaskets I need to worry about? looks like 9 bolts and it should pry loose.. pretty straight forward?

 

[Ky Grady]

if I drop the lower is there any seal/gaskets I need to worry about? looks like 9 bolts and it should pry loose.. pretty straight forward?

Might want to take the prop off, cut down on some weight. Good time to check for fishing line wrapped around the shaft that could cut into your prop shaft seal. Dropping lower unit is very straight forward, not a big deal.

 

[seasick]

There is a rubber seal on one edge of the exhaust tube but it normally stays in place. There may or not be a hose for the pitot tube( water pressure speed sensor). Just drop the unit slowly.
There is also usually a bolt under the trim tab anode so remove the anode first .
I agree that removing the prop will cut the weight. It also make the lower unit easier to hold onto without the prop vanes digging into your body parts.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Have a helper. The drive shaft is long. The lower unit will pop loose and you have to pull the drive shaft out. On occasion, a drive shaft can get hung up and it helps to have someone else holding the weight

if you've never done it, i suggest watching youtube first to get familiar.

 

[Bloodweiser]

I think I found the problem after removing the lower.

 

[seasick]

AND...??? The suspense is killing me!

 

[Bloodweiser]

Shady crap.. I post pics in a minute.. Need to release some steam