Lower unit problem Forward/Reverse

[Ashman]

A couple weeks back my sons and I were fishing near a shallow area, a big boat went by causing a good sized wake which when it got to my boat (19' Thompson with a mercruiser outboard) I could hear a "tunk-tunk" noise which I believe to be the prop hitting the bottom of the lake.

When we decided to leave my boat was not responding to being put in forward. I could go in reverse, and that's how I got off the lake, but no matter how many times I tried it would no go forward even when the shifter would be put in the forward position.

I'm guessing the wake from the boat caused something to break or come loose.

Anyone have this happen (or know what it is) and know if it is something I can fix easily or if I need to schedule an appointment with a boat dealer?

Thanks for any help

[Shellback]

Personally, I think it would be coincidence that the shifter failed due to the the wake of the boat or prop hitting bottom. The Mercruiser has a shift cable from the controls to the stern, and then another cable to the outdrive. Often it's the cable to the outdrive that fails by stretching I think.

[jokerjim]

Could be a cable adjustment or a worn shifting dog in the lower unit. The forward face of the shifting dog wears faster than the reverse side of the shifting dog because you go shift into forward alot more than you shift in reverse.

[Ashman]

Thanks for the help.

[REW]

Disconnect the shift cable from the shifter arm on the lower unit.
Then, see if you can manually snap the motor in forward gear, and have it lock securely as tested by trying to turn the prop.

Do the same thing in reverse.

If this test works, then with the motor in forward gear, put the shifter cable back on the shifter arm - adjusting it as necessary to put slight tension on the shift cable.

Double check reverse and you should be good to go.

Do an on the water check to verify that all is well.

However, if, when you do the shift test with the cable off, and find that the shift arm does not lock securely, or pops out as soon as the prop is manually turned, then hustle the boat off to the dealer for a lower unit remove and repair and return.

Good luck
REW

[Ashman]

2 weeks ago I dropped my boat off at the local repair shop.

Turned out to be a intermediate shift cable.

$704.00 to repair, guess we'll be on the water this weekend.