Re: 1956 Johnson 35HP not going into gear

[harpua]

quote FrankR:

quote outbdnut2:

Did you try disconnecting the shift cable from the motor and using the shift handle on the starboard side of the motor? Maybe your remote cable broke, or a set screw anchoring one end came loose. If the shift handle moves and it doesn’t shift – look to see if the screw on the side of the lower gearcase half near the bottom (right at the top of the skeg) came out – that will cause it not to shift – it’s a special screw with a pin machined on the end- you need the correct part. Also check your gearshift linkage – is it connected to the shift handle inside the motor and moving with the handle? On the side of the exhaust housing above the lower gearcase assembly there is a removable piece of metal that’s about one inch by 2 inches with a screw top and bottom. Remove this and you will see the shift rod move as you move the handle – behind this inspection cover is a connector that joins the upper and lower pieces of the shift rod together – be sure one of the two bolts haven’t come out of this connector. This connector gets undone to remove the lower unit to for servicing.
Dave

A very common problem–especially on a motor that has just been worked on. When installing that screw in the connector, you should use a flashlight to peer in there and make sure the notch in the shift rod is perfectly aligned with the screw hole. If not aligned, it will wipe the threads off the screw and it will fall out 5 miles offshore. It also often ruins the threads in the connector.

this is sounding like my symptom and i cant wait to check it out. thank you.