2015 Mercury 9.9 four stroke

[wily]

Cool... thanks for the tip.  I’ll look at it and see if I can figure it out...thanks 

[wily]

On 1/30/2021 at 5:44 PM, fishinwrench said:

See the little 2 screw cover on the side of the exhaust housing?   Remove it and inspect the orientation of the upper & lower shift rods in the brass retainer clamp.    Twenty bucks says that at one time someone replaced a water pump impeller and didn't reassemble it correctly.    Shift problem fixed!    😊

I’m not sure what screws you mean...I went out and looked at it tonight...I saw these two down at the bottom...are they the screws you mean?  

but then I saw this  oil leak...is it something to worry about?  I’ve never noticed it before

thanks 

[fishinwrench]

30 minutes ago, wily said:

I’m not sure what screws you mean...I went out and looked at it tonight...I saw these two down at the bottom...are they the screws you mean?

No.  Does it not have a oval cover on the starboard side? Like this....

 

31 minutes ago, wily said:

but then I saw this  oil leak...is it something to worry about?  I’ve never noticed it before

That is just unburned fuel/oil from the exhaust tube, leaking out.   Nothing to worry about unless it becomes excessive every time you run the motor. 

[wily]

Ya...it’s got one.  I’m going to get my screwdriver and take it off....see what it looks like in there

[wily]

I don’t know what it’s supposed to look like 

[fishinwrench]

1 minute ago, wily said:

Ya...it’s got one.  I’m going to get my screwdriver and take it off....see what it looks like in there

There is a brass shift rod coupler behind that cover.   It likely that the shift rods aren't properly aligned in the coupler.   

I'm giving away a sneaky caper of mine here.😁    I'm almost ashamed to tell you how many perfectly good 9.9-20 HP motors that I've bought for next to nothing because they thought the lower unit was trashed.  

[fishinwrench]

1 minute ago, wily said:

I don’t know what it’s supposed to look like 

You have to disassemble the coupler and re-align the 2 piece shift rod.   There are detents in both rods.   You'll understand after you have it apart.   

 

[wily]

Ok...just do everything thru that little window.  Take those two screws off and jiggle em a little to line them up and then retighten?  

I’ve got the dexterity of a Eskimo in boxing gloves...So I’ll probably struggle but I’ll try to fix it

thanks for the help

[fishinwrench]

Noooo!   Remove the bottom screw on the coupler, releasing the lower shift rod.....Then remove the lower unit.   Once the lower unit is removed you'll be able to properly align the coupler on the upper shift rod.    Then when the lower unit goes back on you can properly align the lower shift rod.   

This is a good time to install a fresh water pump impeller.  

[wily]

Uh oh...I think this repair just went above my pay grade...but I might try it

thanks