Difficult to shif out of forward gear unless load is taken off.

Question
Mercruiser outdrive shifts hard out of gear. If blip throttle it comes out of gear or is you shut the engine off it comes out easily. 1975 Mercruiser Sterndrive out drive s/n 4225494.

Answer
Hi Gary...Thanks for selecting the undersigned to reply to your question.

I'm not a mechanic, but it sounds like you may have a shifter linkage problem or it's possible there's a clutch malfunction. Best you consult a qualified and reliable Mercury mechanic for advice.

Safe Boating
Ron