Shift Cable?

[VolsFan24]

So I need a little help. I was out on the lake today and when i put it in gear to head to the ramp, throttle and i heard a clunk, surge, then i eased off. Put it in gear again, throttle, small clunk but no surge and i ride back to the ramp. Get the truck and when i get back to the boat, the engine wont go into gear. The throttle goes forward easily without any feel of it trying to go into gear. It will go into reverse and work fine, but it wont go into forward gear.
Please tell me this sounds like something simple like the shift cable came loose. I have the week off from work and planned on doing some fishing. Now i know at least day 1 will be spent diagnosing this problem. Thanks guys.

 

[porthos33]

It is simple for you to do it. Pull the cowling off the engine. Figure out which cable is the shift cable and which one is the throttle by shifting forward and reverse. Once you figure that out, disconnect the shift cable. Once it is disconnected, put the boat in the water and shift it manually. If the engine still doesn't work, your lower unit is shot. If it works, just adjust the shift cable so it moves the shift lever all the way forward and all the way in reverse. It is as easy as adjusting the brake pressure on a bicycle.

If it isn't the shift cable, check the fluid in the lower unit. You unscrew the bottom screw/bolt (whatever it would be called) on the lower unit. If the lower unit is burnt up you will see metal shavings stuck to the little bolt that you pulled off the lower unit and it would have lots of metal shavings in the oil.

 

[VolsFan24]

Thanks. Would lower unit be shot if reverse worked no problem? Is there any way to test without taking it to the water? Like if i put it in reverse now while on the trailer i cannot spin the prop. If i put it in forward i can spin it.

 

[porthos33]

Id drain and check that lower unit and check it for shavings on the plug and in the fluid. Last boat I had, I lost reverse and forward worked a while and then I lost it 3 weeks later.

 

[FlippinManiac]

Like porthos said, take the cowling off and check to ensure your shift cable is connected and working properly. If it is, then you will need to change the lower unit. Mine had the same issue earlier in the year. It was stuck in forward and wouldn't shift out. The shift cable was connected and the shift rod was moving up and down. My issue was where the shift rod connected to the gear casing in the lower unit. The pin that connected the rod sheared off.

 

[VolsFan24]

So i took the cowling off and i see the problem. Im still going to drain lower unit oil to check for shavings. The plastic piece that connects the cable to the actual shifter (dont know what anything is called) is broken. So it can push it into reverse, but cant pull it into forward, if that makes sense. Heres a pic of it in neutral where the 2 broken pieces line up, and the other pic is when in forward gear and you can see where it broke. Any clue the name if the piece thats broken so i can go buy one today and hopefully fish this afternoon?