2000 Evinrude Ficht Stalls in Reverse... Help

[Bergertime]

All-

Hoping to help out a friend a little.  He has a large Mako with twin 2000 Ficht motors.. I know these motors are not well thought of but I was hoping I could provide/pass along any insight you all may have.  He has one engine that is cutting out when he shifts into reverse.  This happens whether the engine is hot or cold.  I have done some research on THT but feedback is all over the map from linkeage to sparkplug gaps.  Does anyone have any insight on the likely culprits that would be easy to rule out as more complex causes are investigated.  Please advise.

Bruce

[love2fish]

Found this post on ClassicMako yesterday.
its under their Motormouths section,,, called Older Evinrude Sanity Saver:

Just wanted to pass on a fix that had been eluding me for 3 yrs. I had a rough cold start/ non start issue with my 225hp 1989 rude. Ran perfectly after started. Checked grounds/wiring/coils/power pack / got new stator etc. etc. Finally discovered the shift interupter switch behind the linkage on the motor. It kills the 1-3-5 cylinder bank to slow the engine coming out of foward. It was intermittant, and was causing me to start the engine on 3 cylinders cold, which didn't always happen. If it fired the heat or vibration would free it up and it ran fine. Just popped it from its bracket to test, and motor fired up perfectly. Bought a new one but will probably not install it as it makes absolutely no difference in gear shifting on my motor that idles at 800. Motor heads may be saying DUH! at all this, but if you have similar issues, its a simple thing to check, which drove me crazy for quite a while. Good luck.

[seabob4]

I was pretty much gonna suggest the same thing Chris found, although I have no clue as to where to look on a Ficht.  I know where they are on Mercruiser outdrives, but that's a little different...

[fitz73222]

Same principle Bob, save the clutch dog when shifting into reverse because it is a full mechanical engagement as opposed to a spring loaded engagement into forward, which is just enough hesitation to engage with sacrifing the gear or dog faces.

[fitz73222]

Key word "without" sacrificing the gear and clutch dog faces.