1985 120 hp no reverse

[napaman]

i took my lower unit off recently to replace the water pump when i re***embled it it does not shift in reverse i disconnected the shift rod where it comes through the casing on top could it not be in there far enough ?

[Elton Smith]

You have the shit rod in the wrong position.Reverse would be all the way downThe lower unit has to be in the same position as the shifter when put back to gather.Ie,the shifter in nuetral the L unit in R.You will have forward and neutral,but no reverse because the shift rod is at it fartherest thro. in neutral.

[napaman]

Took lower unit off last night measured shift rod set it to spec then put it back together with rod in nuetral position but when i went to put top bolt pin in did not reach with shifter in nuetral had to put in reverse seems to go in forward and reverse now though