1988 15 hp johnson shifting issue

[RTripp]

Stopped to fish, turned motor off. Went to leave, motor would not go into forward. Neutral and reverse yes, forward no. Took off top and spun the flywheel a little until I was able to shift into forward. It worked, can you tell me why. And it seems I need to do something about this as I don't want to have to take the lid off and spin flywheel every time I want to go forward. What do I need to do?

 

[racerone]

Instead of taking the cover off why not give the recoil a pull to turn the flywheel??-----Or if throttle is advanced too far you can not shift either.------Best to look at fix your linkages.----Something is wrong and it might become a more expensive fix later.

 

[oldboat1]

^+1. Recently remove the lower unit? Put in a new impeller?

 

[RTripp]

Racerone- Great idea. You do have a lot of good ideas. I did have the lid off so I just turned it with hand. So, you think I should drop the lower end. What will I be looking to fix?

Oldboat1 - I put in a new impeller about 4 years ago. If I have to take the lower end off I will put in a new impeller although she does pee a great stream.

 

[racerone]

Simple----Fix what is wrong here.

 

[RTripp]

OK Racerone- can you tell me what is wrong here. What do I need to fix? Gears? Linkage?

 

[RTripp]

So, I just went to the motor and it shifted into f-n-r. I gently pulled the rope, just slightly, and it would shift into r and n, but not forward. I gently/slightly pulled the rope (probably not enough for a quarter turn of the flywheel and it would shift into f-n-r

 

[iggyw1]

So, I just went to the motor and it shifted into f-n-r. I gently pulled the rope, just slightly, and it would shift into r and n, but not forward. I gently/slightly pulled the rope (probably not enough for a quarter turn of the flywheel and it would shift into f-n-r

Is your motor an electric start motor or do you start it by pulling the rope? You would think that either way that you start it, it is turning that fly wheel like you are doing by hand and that engine would shift into F-N-R. When you are turning the flywheel by hand and it shifts properly, it does not do a bit of good if it is not running, and if you put it into forward after you turn that flywheel by hand, the motor should not start up while it is in gear.

Do like racerone suggested and check out that linkage on the throttle and make sure the throttle is not advanced too far.

 

[RTripp]

I think there used to be a little red piece of plastic on this motor which would not allow the pull start to work if in forward. That piece is no longer being used. So it will start in forward when rope is pulled.

It doesn't matter where I have the throttle set -(Idle-to-Wot) it will shift IF the flywheel is in the position which is allowing it to shift. When I move the flywheel just a little by slightly pulling on the rope there is a spot (or maybe a few spots) which the shifter will not go into forward.

 

[NicoPags]

to confirm, with engine running and in neutral with low idle/shift idle the spinning of the flywheel from the motor running will not allow it to shift to fwd than then throttle up to be on your way?

 

[iggyw1]

to confirm, with engine running and in neutral with low idle/shift idle the spinning of the flywheel from the motor running will not allow it to shift to fwd than then throttle up to be on your way?

Sounds like he has to turn the flywheel by hand a little while the engine is NOT running until it is in a spot that will allow him to shift it into forward gear, and then start the motor while it is in forward gear (dangerous), but he wants to know why he has to put that flywheel into a certain position in order for him to put her into forward gear.

I had an old 25 h.p. motor that started in gear at one time on a small row boat (young & stupid at the time) and it almost flipped me out of the boat once when I started it WOT unintentionally in a fully turned position. The boat almost flipped over!

 

[RTripp]

She's in my yard now in a garbage can of water. After reading your message I went out and cranked her up in N. While running she shifted into all R-N-F. I turned it off and tried shifting. She shifted just fine. Then I slightly pulled on rope barely turning flywheel (maybe and inch or two) and she wouldn't shift into F. She would shift into N and R. I again slightly pulled on rope and all gears worked great.

 

[NicoPags]

She's in my yard now in a garbage can of water. After reading your message I went out and cranked her up in N. While running she shifted into all R-N-F. I turned it off and tried shifting. She shifted just fine. Then I slightly pulled on rope barely turning flywheel (maybe and inch or two) and she wouldn't shift into F. She would shift into N and R. I again slightly pulled on rope and all gears worked great.

Ok to me, this is just a procedural issue. It is not uncommon that its easier to shift through the gears, on a motor that is off, while turning the driveshaft via flywheel above or prop below. So it sounds as if your in the practice of putting it into Fwd than starting the motor. The odd "oops forgot it was in gear" is understandable, but that shouldn't be your go to procedure while out on the water. Always start in neutral, than putting into Fwd or reverse, and be on your way safely.

 

[RTripp]

No I don't start in forward. I only started it in forward yesterday because I finally got it to switch into forward and I was scared to try to put it in N in case it wouldn't go back into forward again. I had five miles to go to get back to dock and I didn't want to do that in R. Or paddle. I had small electric motor with me for back up but, I didn't know if it would last 5 miles. When I did start it in forward I had it at a low rpm setting.