Advise requested on reverse gear:
I am new to the forum (and boating) and want to ask for help on a malfunction of my reverse gear. I have an inboard mercruiser 140 Hp engine from 1978 with a stern drive also mercury. I can not read the serial numbers any more. I think it is a “later model type I”.
When trying to engage reverse gear while turning the propellor clockwise, the gear does not engage and some ticking sounds arise from the stern drive. It seems that the inner gearcable is not short enough and the gearplates are slipping over one and the other.
I tried to engage the gear by hand with the same dissapointing result. Even when pulling very hard on the inner core of the gearcable the reverse does not engage. Forward gear works perfect though.
Can anybody help me out with suggestions before I have to remove the sterndrive and inspect the gear assembly?? Thanks very much. Sisu1
Reverse gear problem 
