1959 starflite shift linkage

[derek4325]

So i have made other posts about this motor in the past but i want to update that the fatty fifty is now alive once more and runs quite well actually, and as far as fuel consumption goes ot is actually a lot better than i expected especially after i replaced the thermostat (about 12 miles to 6 gal of gas). Anyways i know these motors have a bad reputation for their shift linkage. What do people usually do to correct it? See my current issue is shifting it into forward. It almost acts like the shift rod in the lower unit is too long. I know its not the clutch dog/ cradle or anything in the gearcase itself because i had that all torn apart and inspected. I have all my adjustments advanced as much as they can go but it still doesn't go in all the way, i even took the brass stopper out and ground off about 1/2". When on the boat i can shift into forward but it doesn't feel like it goes in all the way, in fact it slipped out of gear once and went back in. I was considering pulling the lower unit and heating up the shift rod and bending a saddle into it? Would that be advised? Any other suggestions that doesn't involve the scrap yard? thanks.

 

[hardwater fisherman]

Does it shift ok if you do it by hand at the motor? Maybe your cables are not adjusted correctly.

 

[derek4325]

No the same problem exists. I mean if i did it by hand it might help a LITTLE but its still not enough. The handle is advance pretty much all the way along with the control linkage

 

[Chris1956]

Those motors had a lot of pivot points and rods and bellcranks in the shift linkage. Each one gets a little play in it and it really adds up. I was never able to have both forward and reverse on my Fatty.

​You might see if a dealer (if you can find one) has some bushings that can fit between the rods and bellcranks. That is the only way to take the slop out of the shift linkage. I have a distant memory of those being available, but it was a long time ago.....

 

[F_R]

No Title

The first thing you need to do is establish just where the problem is. Remove the access covers from the side and observe the shift rod connector as you move the shifter lever. When you move the shifter, the rod should move up or down with minimum delay. Is there slack or lost motion? One of the sneaky trouble spots is the lever $34 inside the exhaust housing. The screw comes loose. Another is wear where the shaft #48 goes through the exhaust housing. Does it slop up and down?

 

[derek4325]

I will have to look a little closer tomorrow, i have noticed this is quite a complicated system on OMCs part. Was Dr. Seuss on the engineering team at that time? Lol

 

[jimmbo]

I will have to look a little closer tomorrow, i have noticed this is quite a complicated system on OMCs part. Was Dr. Seuss on the engineering team at that time? Lol

No, just Rube Goldberg

 

[derek4325]

The first thing you need to do is establish just where the problem is. Remove the access covers from the side and observe the shift rod connector as you move the shifter lever. When you move the shifter, the rod should move up or down with minimum delay. Is there slack or lost motion? One of the sneaky trouble spots is the lever $34 inside the exhaust housing. The screw comes loose. Another is wear where the shaft #48 goes through the exhaust housing. Does it slop up and down?

Well i found that the shift linkage is actually pretty tight with very minimal movement, i did however find a problem with the brass clamp that ties the lower unit to the linkage on the motor, it looks as if i didnt push the lower unit part in far enough and it probably slipped out, but here lies another problem, the head of the screw on the motor side of the clamp has busted out and i am not sure how to go about getting all that out of there and most likely put a new clamp and screws in

 

[F_R]

Hm.m.m, a good question. Normally, I despise the very word "Easy-Out", but in this case I'll make an exception. The remains of the screw should come out fairly easy, if you can just get ahold of it. The Easy-Out just might be the solution. One problem with that might be the depth of the thing down in that access hole. Extra long aircraft drills are available, then concoct some way of grabbing the shank of the Easy-Out. Hey, you might get lucky and the drill might spin the broken screw on out the backside of the connector. Don't lose sleep over it if it does, the broken piece laying in there won't hurt anything.

 

[derek4325]

Hm.m.m, a good question. Normally, I despise the very word "Easy-Out", but in this case I'll make an exception. The remains of the screw should come out fairly easy, if you can just get ahold of it. The Easy-Out just might be the solution. One problem with that might be the depth of the thing down in that access hole. Extra long aircraft drills are available, then concoct some way of grabbing the shank of the Easy-Out. Hey, you might get lucky and the drill might spin the broken screw on out the backside of the connector. Don't lose sleep over it if it does, the broken piece laying in there won't hurt anything.

Got lucky! I just pulled the lower unit and the spacer (long shaft) and i was able to reach into the exhaust housing and i used a pair of needle nose to just thread the screw the rest of the way, so i will be ordering a new clamp and screws, do you think it will be safe to heat up the lower unit shift rod and putting in a small kink just for an insurance policy? I would hate to have to pull the unit again to resort to that later, reason i ask is because either the clamp or the rod is worn and is kinda sloppy with the screw in it. And my last question (probably should actually be a separate thread) is i noticed on diagrams that there is a "guide" used on the 5" spacer for the drive shaft. Mine is physically missing. Is it necessary to purchase one or can i afford to take a short cut? I dont really fully understand it's function. Thanks

 

[derek4325]

Those motors had a lot of pivot points and rods and bellcranks in the shift linkage. Each one gets a little play in it and it really adds up. I was never able to have both forward and reverse on my Fatty.

​You might see if a dealer (if you can find one) has some bushings that can fit between the rods and bellcranks. That is the only way to take the slop out of the shift linkage. I have a distant memory of those being available, but it was a long time ago.....

Thanks for your advice and i did just check all the pivot points and i must say they all look pretty good. If i even have to do that where do you think i could get bushings of i ever needed to find them?

 

[F_R]

I would NOT mess with the shift rod. Not sure what you mean by a guide. Perhaps you mean the spacer tube that surrounds the drive shaft? It is absolutely necessary that it be in there, along with the associated seals (and the seal on top of the water pump housing). If absent, it will drive you insane trying to figure out why it won't run with the hood on.

 

[derek4325]

I would NOT mess with the shift rod. Not sure what you mean by a guide. Perhaps you mean the spacer tube that surrounds the drive shaft? It is absolutely necessary that it be in there, along with the associated seals (and the seal on top of the water pump housing). If absent, it will drive you insane trying to figure out why it won't run with the hood on.

Yeah that is the tube i was talking about, it just wasn't there the first time i pulled the lower unit and i didn't even know about it until i happened to notice it in a diagram (water pump seal is there). Needless to say i just ordered the tube and the seals. I have already ran the moter a couple of times without it and it seemed to run okay but I'm putting one in anyways. What exactly do you mean by "it wont run with the hood on"?

 

[F_R]

No Title

With those parts missing, exhaust smoke enters the drive shaft isolation tube and comes out a vent hole at the top. Since the vent hole is under the hood, the hood fills with exhaust smoke. Then the motor is breathing its own exhaust which makes it run very poorly.

Pictures are for a 75hp, but same situation exists

 

[derek4325]

With those parts missing, exhaust smoke enters the drive shaft isolation tube and comes out a vent hole at the top. Since the vent hole is under the hood, the hood fills with exhaust smoke. Then the motor is breathing its own exhaust which makes it run very poorly.

Pictures are for a 75hp, but same situation exists

Ohh well that makes sense then, i always thought that was just a guide to help keep the drive shaft straight, i already ran it a couple of times without any problems but i can see where that could be a future issue, I'm just glad i found out about that piece because i would have never have known it existed without looking at a diagram. Anyways all my parts should be in soon and i have a small fishing trip planned for sunday so i hope we will be in good shape. I will either write back or start a new thread for an update if anyone is interested. Thanks again everyone for the advice, you have all been very helpful from the beginning when this motor was set up to the beautiful running machine it is today!

 

[Chris1956]

The Fat-Fifty is a beautiful running machine? When I ran mine, and the two bottom cylinders started firing after she had warmed up a bit, it sounded great, kinda like a garbage truck coming down the street.