1984 Force 125hp - Binding Throttle

[Firefighterfox]

1984 Force 125hp

September 20th, 2019, 03:07 PM


I'm trying to help a friend with his boat motor. I'm mechanically minded but the throttle and gear cable syncronization is too much. I've seen on one of the forums here that refers to a discussion where you have described the process. I have spent the last 3 hours trying to find it, with no success. Would you mind giving me some direction. I didn't want to start a new forum if one is already available.
Just a brief history of the motor in question: it's been sitting for a out 10 years. It has been started and run a few times during that time, but not run in n the water. The owner took the boat to a "boat mechanic" to have the carbs rebuilt and a new impeller put in. After the repairs were done he took it to the lake. He could not get it started. After removing the engine cover he was able to manually choke the motor and it started. (later he noticed that the choke solenoid bracket was not bolted on one side. After the motor had warmed up he put it in gear and he headed away from the dock. When he tried to accelerate the rpm's would barely build. He noted that the control was very stiff but as he applied excessive pressure the speed came up a little. Eventually the throttle cable broke off at the controller.
note: the cable had no rust, corrosion or binding.
He bought a new cable (exact replacement). At that point he realized that the newly installed cable was also in a bind. This is where I came, in after a few minutes realized that the throttle linkage step was binding on the gear linkage step. After about 8 hours of chasing the problem and screwing with anything that would turn or adjust I gave up. My conclusion is that the mechanic probably got something out of sync when he worked on the carbs and lower unit.
Well that's the end of this long story. Perhaps you will be able to help give it a Happy Ending.
Thanks for your time and advise.
Firefighterfox

 

[Firefighterfox]

Is the 826374 PIN-RETAINER on the lower unit a possible culprit? This motor had never had any problems with shifting before the mechanic serviced the lower unit and carb rebuilds?

 

[Tassie 1]

A 1984 Force is really just a Chrysler motor with Force decals,
Chrysler went under in '84...Force " took over " then,

look for similiar Chrysler 125 issues,
don't discount entirely the remote control box ( throttle housing ) from the equation,
could be jammed,

doubt only having one bolt holding the choke solenoid will be the issue starting,

disconnect throttle cable from carbs ( it's simple ) to see if the cable itself is the problem...if it moves freely then troubleshoot elsewhere

 

[Firefighterfox]

The cables move freely when disconnected. The gear shift and throttle tangs are in conflict with each other.

 

[Tassie 1]

Not sure what you mean by "conflict"

which remote is it ?
big white thing ( normal chrysler type ) or a much smaller square shape?

Might be time to find a manual that shows the remote controls,

FWIW ( probably not much ) the seloc manual shows 3/16th " of thread extending past the terminal end in a Chrysler remote,

not really recommending the Seloc manual though but it and a Clymers is what l have,

 

[Nordin]

That "pin retainer" is the NOT REMOVE SCREW.

First check to shift by hand with the cables unhooked.
If it works, check by turning the prop by hand and find neutral - forward -reverse.
If that is in order the NOT REMOVE SCREW is in right place and the shifting in the LU is okey.

I think your meaning with conflict between shifting and throttle is that the interlocking lever is hiting the locking "flag" at the tower shaft .
Parts # 480107 cam starter interlocker. This can be as simple as the wire connector us out of adjustment but it also can be that the mechanic has "fixed" the shift rods out of adjustment.

First check that the travel of the shift rod is equal (bias) for neutral-forward and neutral-reverse.
The distance of the travel should be equal, if not the shift rod lower is out of adjustment.
It should be screw all way down in the gear shift arm as a start point.
If that is okey then the "flag" at tower shaft should be in lever with the cam starter interlock in neutral.
If not, adjust by the nuts at the shift rod uper just under the carb.

.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Unhook the linkage/shift/throttle cables and try to shift by hand(Nordin)
You will need to spin the prop as you shift or it can bind even worse.

If the lower unit was reinstalled right(kinda hard to install it wrong) it shouldn't be a problem.

If?? it binds as you shift?. The shift rod through the mid section might need adjusting.
Under the bottom carb is a locking nut on the top of the shaft(1/2"head).
Remove the plenum(4 screws with a 5/16 head) and it's easier to access the rod.
Experiment with adjusting the rod up and down and see if that helps?
Remember the original setting(pics always help) to return it if needed.
It's not often the rod needs adjusting but if nothing else works?? this might??

If the choke body was only held in with one screw??
It can slide up and down and not activate the choke, so it can affect the cold starts.
With out a choke these motors can be almost impossible to start.

 

[Firefighterfox]

Let me clarify / explain in more detail. The cold start issue was resolved by remounting the LOOSE choke solenoid in its correct position. I can adjust the cables so that the neutral, forward and reverse will work correctly, I think? But when placed into forward or reverse full throttle, the carbs throttle valves will barely open. If I adjust things so that the throttle valves will fully open then the shifter will not go into gear correctly?
We have a Clymer shop manual for 3.5 to 140 hp :1966-1984. This motor serial identifies it as an 1983 125 hp motor. this manual does not give an in depth explanation to resolve our problem.
My friend found a previous forum discussion on this site from Frank A, dated July 17th, 2011 @ 09:17 pm. There is a picture that shows the issue / "conflict' we're having?

 

[jerryjerry05]

First off Clymer sucks

There is a video made by FrankA
Called a link and sync.

http://youtu.be/tDoR64jP5l8

Even AFTER doing what Frank suggests you might need to reread post #7
And adjust the shift rod??

 

[Firefighterfox]

Thanks for the reply. I am going to take a new look at the set up, armed with this new information and see if I can fix the issue. If not, maybe I can at least narrow it down to a specific area and seek additional help. I'll report back either way just to let you know.
thanks again

 

[Firefighterfox]

Well gentleman, the case of the Force 125 that would not shift correctly is solved. It's a good "who done it" story. After spending another day on the internet and several more hours sweating over the motor, checking all the linkages and adjustments for a third and final time, the problem was found. It was not the cables, linkages, adjustments. To recap the description of the problem; with all sync and link procedures done I was ending up with a throttle cable that was about 3 inches longer than what was needed to hook on to the post in the engine compartment. The cable had been replaced with an exact factory replacement after the original was broken from excessive operator pressure on the control lever. It was at the controller that the answer was found. There is a forked type bracket inside the controller through which the throttle cable passed before attaching to the control lever with an e-clip. The forked bracket was 180 degrees out of position. Removing the clip and rotating the bracket to the opposite direction and replacing the clip allowed the throttle cable to advance another 3 inches which resulted in the other end of the throttle cable aligning with the mounting post in the engine compartment.
WHO DONE IT!
The boat owner that broke the cable and also replaced it with a new one.He took a picture of the inside of the broken controller before he removed anything so he would be sure to put the components back in the exact same place. So what the photograph showed was a throttle cable that had an incorrectly installed bracket in the controller. The mechanic that did the lower unit water pump, rebuilt the carbs, tuned up the motor and left the choke solenoid bracket loose on the power head is the only possible suspect. Score one for photographing components before they are tamper with.
Thanks to all here for their help and advise with this mystery. CASE SOLVED.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Something like that is REALLY hard to diagnose