1978 evinrude 115 won't crank with ignition switch (key) and shifter won't move to reverse?

Question

When I turn the key I can hear the choke click but the starter does nothing and the shifter will not move to reverse,forward is ok. Batterys are hot and the motor seems to be down all the way and all the connections are tight.Is there a reverse lockout safety switch or something that would cut power to the starter? I can turn the fly wheel by hand and the trans seems to be in neutral It started and ran fine in the driveway a month ago. Course they always run fine on the trailer. Maybe I'll just unhook at the hitch and sail the trailer around too.Hard to get up on plane though.

DATELINE 03/28/07-.---.....----.....-- Still no luck with the control,which is an Evinrude "Power Pilot" It mechanically is not allowing the control to move to reverse throtle.The shifter will move forward and I can move the shift lever on the motor by hand but with the cable hooked up i can't move it to reverse cause the control apparently is locked out for safety since the key switch is dead also, except for tach and tilt gauge etc. that are powered from the switch. So it has power.
Where is the switch or what ever that tells it the motor is up or down? It has a power trim. Has a gauge that says its all the way down,but where is it hooked up to
Problem is I can't get the screws out of the cover cause they are seized. Anybody know anything about these things?

Also thanks for the previous answers. I can turn the prop when the control seems to be in neutral.
Even with the throtle pulled back against the idle stop. the control will not allow the shifter to move to reverse or the key switch to power the starter

Answer 1

I have an anchor just like that!

Answer 2

Your shifter/throttle cables may not be quite right. With the engine cover off, when you move to forward and push to full throttle, does the cable mechanism work (or appear to) properly? There are 2 of course, one is the shift and the other the throttle. They both need to work. If the throttle is sticky and not "slowing down enough" it will prevent the shifter from shifting to neutral or reverse. Not shifting to neutral will prevent your start sequence. This may be the issue alone, or it could be the neutral start switch as mentioned above. I would guess mechanical before electrical on an engine of that age as the electronics were no where as sophisticated in '78 as they are now. Thus why I hang on to my old '79 Merc that has been totally submerged (twice... once for 3 days, 3 feet down) and dried out and run again without replacing anything but fuel.
I thought of leaving it there once but felt for the old girl...
Check it out, you'll find it.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

Just like a car.
Neutral safety switch.

Can you manualy turn the prop?