1995 Merc wont shift out of gear...

[cmb1998]

I have a 1995 Merc 15hp tiller for a kicker. Finally got the idle issues sorted out and then on the last trip out I went to crank the throtle and it didn't feel quite right. Shut the motor down and realized that the throttle handle spins and engages the throttle linkage, but it doesnt put the motor into or out of gear.

If you look on the tiller handle there is a shaft that comes out of the throttle handle. Presently when I turn the throttle that shaft spins, but the black fitting on the end of the shaft near the elbow connection to the motor just spinds on the shaft. It looks like it should spin the connection but it doesn't.

Any ideas..... besides using it for a really expensive boat anchor?

Thanks,

Chris

[baitsauce]

Linkage? :shrug:

[Pagorits]

There should be a pin holding the shaft to the black fitting (gear). You may have to find a way to spin the gear to see the pin hole. (I think)

[cmb1998]

There should be a pin holding the shaft to the black fitting (gear). You may have to find a way to spin the gear to see the pin hole. (I think)

I pulled the shaft back to the point it is out of the elbow connection. I can spin it 360 degrees and don't see where a pin would go? Do you know for sure if there supposed to be a pin there? I don't see any holes or key channels for a retaining pin...

Thanks

Chris

[Boat Doc']

Need to replace the shaft. Also remove the bushings under the carb and clean and lube the. The bushings probably got stiff resulting in the failure of the shaft

[cmb1998]

Need to replace the shaft. Also remove the bushings under the carb and clean and lube the. The bushings probably got stiff resulting in the failure of the shaft

Boat doc

Thanks for the info. I tore into it last night and found a few things.

1) This motor has an attachment for what appears to be a external shift lever. There is a square bolt that I can very easily move with a wrench to shift between gears (if i disconnect the attachment between the shift cable and the tiller). This leads me to belive the problem is entirely with the shaft in the tiller?

2) Is there a kit to convert this motor to a shift lever style of gear change rather than a tiller change?

3) How is the end of the shaft that is presently spinning freely attached? What stops it from spinning freely? I don't see any pins? Is it screwed on?

4) How do I pull the tiller apart? This is an electric start motor. It has the kill switch in the end of the tiller. I have everything dissasembled, but I can't pull the tiler apart because all the wires run through shaft and tiller handle and I don't see a way to dissconnect the kill button?

Thanks!

Chris

[Boat Doc']

The shaft is bonded and replaced as an assy, remove the rubber grip and there is a pin that holds the handle on, disconnect the wires and it comes apart. there is a conversion kit for ser# OA197112 thru OD181999 runs about 30.00