TOPIC: 1966 Homelite stopped engauging FWD or Reverse

Hey Guys,

I have been working and restoring my 1967 Chrysler Charger 151 I purchased 3 years ago with a barn stored 1966 Homelite 55 HP outboard.

I have worked with Bill over the last 3 years and upgraded many parts including:
-Switching out with new mechanical fuel pump (from Bill)
-New blue water pump impeller - Water cooling motor great
-Rebuilt carburetors with new kits from bill
-red-did some of the wiring
-New in-line fuel filter and bypassed/removed glass bowl contraption
-New shift and steering cables
-Replaced all fuel lines and new water outlet line

I finally got the motor out on the lake last weekend at my family's cabin in the Adirondacks in Upstate NY, and I got all the way across the lake with the motor working great and all of a sudden "Thud". The motor would then not engage into forward or reverse. Motor would continue to turn on/off, run fine, continue cooling at tell tale, and even shift into gear and rev higher exiting exhaust but no drive.

I am thinking something snapped in the lower unit with the shift engage rod. Has anyone experienced in the past?

I am lucky enough that i recently acquired a motor with 2 lower units that seem in rebuilt or working condition. These seem to be from a slightly newer Homelite unit that has 1 water tube, where the water pump housing has 1 of the holes blocked with a stopper. I was curious if this would be interchangeable and if you think that is the cause of my motor to stop engaging into gear.

Any help is appreciated as I really don't want to give up on this motor. I am in the process of acquiring a rebuilt 85 Johnson 60 HP for the boat, and am thinking I may remove my Homelite and put on a stand until it is fully trustworthy. What do you guys think?

Check your shear pin
Check that you didn't separate the hub from prop, someone called me a week ago and had same symptoms as you. Boat was outa water on trailer, we put the shift lever into gear, turned flywheel, the prop shaft turns but the propeller doesn't. Shear pin bad, replaced and found hub separated from propeller.
Try it.
Yes the lower units will swap as long as you use the correct pump housing for your cooling system.