No reverse???

[Stillrunning]

I also have a 1996 150 Johnson that had the same shift problem but I found a different reason why it happened. Where the shift shaft enters the lower unit there is a plate and it has two O Rings that seal the shift shaft. The plate holding the O Rings had corroded aroung the O rings and was causing the Orings to pinch too tight around the shift shaft. I just removed the plate and cleaned it up and replaced the O rings. From what I had read this was a common problem and I now check them everytime I replace the water pump.

[Cam]

Gonna keep that in mind if and when it ever happens again. So far, no need for a water pump repair.