New here, just got an a4

[Sam]

Welcome again and my first suggestion is get a Moyer Service manual - best $50 you will ever spend. Your rpm issue could be something as simple as idle adjusting screw set wrong - literally a 10 sec fix, no tac needed [I haven't used an on board tac in 40yrs]

Relative to the hard shift the number 1 culprit is usually a rusty cable inside its sleeve - on a "72' this is really possible. You can test this by disconnecting the cable from the shift lever [maybe a clevis pin ana cotter pin] at the rear of the engine on the left side as you are looking at the flywheel. Try shifting the lever by hand and see if it smoothly with some effort " snaps" into forward. If it does you need a new cable. There is also an outside chance the cable clamp is too tight.

The reversing gear assembly ie" transmission" under the cover plate has an adjusting collar that can be made to compensate for past wear/slippage going forward. It is possible that the previous owner may have adjusted it - a one notch adjustment can solve a slippage forward problem but dramatically increases the force needed to activate the shift lever. This aspect is difficult to explain in a post but is detailed in the manual and possibly elsewhere on the site. Good luck.

[edwardc]

...It’s very hard to shift, my thinking is that the idle is set too high,...

The idle is unlikely to be the cause. The A4 doesn't really have a "transmission" per se. In fwd it's a 1:1 direct drive, engaged by a friction clutch as the shift lever is moved into the fwd position. And reverse engages a friction band that activates the planetary gears that provive reverse.

This is unlike a "real" transmission that must be idled down low in order to shift. In the A4 there are no gears to synchronize, so shifting can be smoothly accomplished at any rpm, although shifting at high rpm would probably accelerate wear on the friction clutch.

I would agree with Sam that the cause of your hard shifts is probably a stiff/rusty shift cable

[Fred1diver]

Hello everyone, my motor is misbehaving at times, it stalls out on me when I shift at times, which got me pi med to the next dock over yesterday, what could be the issue? New plugs, oil has been changed, added marvel mystery oil to the gas, at this time the current is really strong over here, I would estimate over 5 knots so I really need the engine to be good

[TimBSmith]

Please post a video link with sound of stall...would be helpful.

When my A4 was first in the water, I had to dial my idle rpm in to get into gear without bogging down or stalling the engine. My bet is idle adjustment using carb/throttle screws and maybe look at timing. Please post a video so more knowledgeable folks than I can help you as much as possible. Stay well. Great to see your post. (even if you are stalling out) sounds like you are making progress.