Reply To: 1959 18 hp Evinrude won’t shift into F

[lindy46]

Could be a loose connection in the shift rod connector, possibly a missing bolt. To shift into forward, the shift lever pulls up on the shift rods to engage the clutch dog with the forward gear. So gravity is working against shifting into forward. Remove the cover on the side of the leg and watch what happens when you shift gears. Both upper and lower shift rods must be firmly attached to the coupler with no play.