Mv-3 Control Stuck In Neutral Position

[brian r howard]

I am having an issue with the Morse shift controller on my boat. It is stuck in neutral. When I pull up on the shift lockout on the hand lever I cannot push it forward or pull back to get out of neutral. I'm thinking it is a mechanical issue with in the actual controller. I have done some research on the internet and seen schematics on the controller, which I think is the MV-3 CH2950P version - old no. 311508, but I cannot find any information describing why this might be occurring. Has any one had a similar issue with this model controller? On this particular boat, the previous owner installed a Hot Foot throttle, so the throttle cable is not connected to the gear control. I have never had this trouble in the 10 years I have owned the boat. Can it be that it needs to be disassembled and cleaned and re-greased? I am pretty mechanical and from schematics I've seen I have thought about taking it apart to see if something broke internally. Didn't know what else to do at this point. The boat is in the water on the river I live on so I can't take to a local marina to have it looked at.

 

[Duane Mauzy]

I am having an issue with the Morse shift controller on my boat. It is stuck in neutral. When I pull up on the shift lockout on the hand lever I cannot push it forward or pull back to get out of neutral. I'm thinking it is a mechanical issue with in the actual controller. I have done some research on the internet and seen schematics on the controller, which I think is the MV-3 CH2950P version - old no. 311508, but I cannot find any information describing why this might be occurring. Has any one had a similar issue with this model controller? On this particular boat, the previous owner installed a Hot Foot throttle, so the throttle cable is not connected to the gear control. I have never had this trouble in the 10 years I have owned the boat. Can it be that it needs to be disassembled and cleaned and re-greased? I am pretty mechanical and from schematics I've seen I have thought about taking it apart to see if something broke internally. Didn't know what else to do at this point. The boat is in the water on the river I live on so I can't take to a local marina to have it looked at.

The screw that holds the shifting cable inside the shifter box may have came loose.
I had a 1998 Nitro that did the same thing.

 

[firedog978]

There's another thing to look at before you yank out the shifter box.
I had this happen years ago. Check under the cowling of the motor and see if the problem is there. A bolt had worked loose and dropped down under the shift linkage. Mine wouldn't allow me to shift forward, only backward.
Hopefully you'll find a similar issue. It's a lot easier to deal with.