OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

[punkyBOATER]

Okay, first of all id like to start out by saying i know i shouldnt of done what im about to explain i did. I have an 85 Bayliner equipt with a 125 force motor. I had to drop my lower unit to replace the water pump and impeller due to overheating. I had a u know what of a time getting it back up by myself. In the process i think i might of bent the shift rod and i unscrewed it thinking i could guide it through its hole as to get the lower unit to line up and go together. After i got the lower unit back up I tryed to re-adjust the shift linkage with the motor off by having someone put the shifter at the helm back and fourth until it felt like neutral was neutral. In doing this i noticed that the shift rod was rubbing against one side of the opening and i thought to myself i probably bent it while trying to line up the two half's, and that it could either make shifting a little ruff or maybe even hose stuff up. I went out to the lake today and launched without problems had reverse and forwards. I then entered a cove and threw the boat into reverse only to find it wasnt there. The motor just rev'ed like it was in neutral and i thought huh this isnt good. So we immediatly beached the boat and decided to have our fun in the sun and not drive the boat until it was time to head in. Well the time to head in came and i had a good time getting the boat off the beach without reverse and found out i am a very strong swimmer and can tow a 19" bayliner about 25 yards and climb back in and fire it up before we blew back into the beach =). Well you can prob guess what happened next, yup thats right boat did not move just rev'ed like it was in neutral. So now i dont have reverse or forwards. I thought it might be the shift assy at the helm and took it apart because it was already loose and i thought it might be the culprit, but it seemed to be operating okay. The Lake was closing and i didnt have sufficent tools so we got towed back in and now im a bit dissappointed in myself, there is one good side to what happened today...I DIDNT OVERHEAT =) a new water pump unit and thermostat fixed that....i also added 1/2 a can of power tuner and am running a few mph faster =). If anyone has incountered this and has some advice id appreciate it. This is my first outboard boat motor expierience and i need all the help i can get. Thanks in advance and sorry for the length of the post but i just wanted to make sure i covered everything. P.S. is there anything you can do besides adjust the skag to compensate for the pull to the left under heavy throttle? Thanks again.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

Dont feel bad. I bet almost everyone here has had a similar experience as you had. The way we learn to do stuff is by screwing it up the first time and then fixing it. That is at least the way I work. I own a chrysler so I cant help much. Sounds to me like you busted the pin down by the shifter pivot screw. I did this on my chrysler first time on the lake. Motor kept killing and I kept hard shifting till the pin snapped. I hope this is not the case for you because then you will get to learn how to reseal a lower unit.

 

[roscoe]

Re: OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

Get a repair manual, tear it down and investigate/fix.<br /><br />If you disconnected the shiftshaft from the pivot screw, you are lucky the lower unit didn't grenade on you.<br /><br />Don't start the engine till you get it checked out.<br /><br />Don't mess with the skeg (fin below prop).<br />Adjust steering torque with the exhaust snout/trim tab (above the prop).<br /><br />??The lake was closing??? Must be a CA thing. ???

 

[punkyBOATER]

Re: OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

Yup Its cali thing, most lakes in southern cali close at sundown or an hour before due to all the cut backs in our recreational areas right now =(. We are lucky they are still open being theres been so much talk of closing many great lakes. I dropped the lower unit today and pulled on the shift rod to see if i couldnt shift it by hand and guess what? It came right out in my hand. The threds looked okay cause i thought i might of stripped it out trying to adjust it. I tried to stick it back in and find threads but i couldnt. I have a repair mannual made by SELOC, i dont really like it cause it one of those that trys to cover like fourty different models in one mannual. Im thinking unless i can find the threds which i cannnot see im going to have to split the lower unit. I know i need expierience but damn this is a little much....

 

[punkyBOATER]

Re: OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

I fixed it! Turns out you can screw into something else down there prob between two piece's of metal having something to do with the shift pivot mechanism and still shift the boat for a very short period of time . I called my local outboard repair shop and they said $350 to fix it and i was getting ready to load the lower unit in the car and take it in when i decided to try and find the right set of threds one more time. I got extreamly lucky and found them. The trans shifted perfect after i got the shift shaft into the right set of threads (the only set of threads) via the brail method. I installed the lower unit back on the motor and everything seems to be pechy now. Moral of the story, DONT MESS WITH THE SHIFT SHAFT...=)

 

[roscoe]

Re: OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

Wow, yes you did get lucky.

 

[roscoe]

Re: OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

I guess I don't get the "closing the lake" thing.<br /><br />How and why do they close the lake?<br /><br />How can it cost them anything to leave it open?<br />I mean, the lake is there and not going anywhere, and you are in your boat fishing or whatever.<br /><br />Here in Wisconsin, most launches are free, but parking may cost you at some busier locations. And the water belongs to the people.

 

[punkyBOATER]

Re: OKAY, I HOSED UP MY SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT =(

This deserves a thread all of its own but to try and explain this without wasting too much of your time...California is the land of excess. We have a lot of big shots out on the local lakes in Los Angeles County espeacialy with their 100 thousand dollar 1000 horse power hydrofoils that like to do 120mph on a lake under 5 miles long. Lots of people have been hurt or even worse killed because of this. So now they if theres no policing or supervision they dont let you onto the lake. The laws differ from lake to lake but the strictest laws and closing times are here in Soutern Ca. I know some lakes up north of here will let you run at night but you must have running lights and keep it under 5mph on the whole lake. I think it comes down to safety and too many people with lots of horse power and no brains. It really sucks for the rest of us that just want to go out and enjoy the lake, I especialy feel for the fishermen even though its not my thing. The best times to fish are when the lakes are closed. They sometimes have special night bass tournaments but for the most part they want you off the water by sundown. Also for most lakes down here for the day your lookin at a minimum of 18 bux. Id pay twice that if they would keep the lakes open but what can you do.........