Force 125 Shifting Issues

indy chance

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Aug 4, 2011
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5
I have a 87 Force 125hp motor. Yesterday at the lake, it started rattling when trying to put it in reverse. After several attempts, the engine would rev, but the motor would not shift into reverse at all.

I brought it home, and tried several things. First, I drained the lower unit oil. The oil looked milky, but I didn't find any metal shavings in there. Next, I checked the control hookups. I readjusted the gear shift linkage at the motor per the manual. If I take the cable off, I can get the motor to go in fwd, neut, rev. I affirmed this by trying to spin the prop at each spot. The distance the linkage travels between neutral and forward is probably only 1/4", which seems perfect. However, the distance to move from neutral to reverse is over 3/4". Once I hook the cable back up, it doesn't have enough travel to get reverse to engage (feels like gears may be just barely touching).

Has anyone else had this problem? Does this indicated a reverse gear that's been sheared? Maybe a bent shift rod or coupler? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 

foodfisher

Captain
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
3,756
Re: Force 125 Shifting Issues

Adjust to have equal throw to fwd and rev. Milky lower unit oil is not good.
 

indy chance

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Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Messages
5
Re: Force 125 Shifting Issues

fisher, I did do that while playing with the adjustment. If I set it in the middle it won't hit the interlock button, even if I adjust the interlock plate. No matter how much adjusting I do it won't quite work. I'm guessing it's because the reverse gear is worn down so far that it won't engage until the linkage is way far back.
 

foodfisher

Captain
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
3,756
Re: Force 125 Shifting Issues

Interlock button? If you mean the neutral interlock (safety) switch, it too is adjustable. If it will go into gear by hand the problem has to be your adjustments. Down is forward and up is reverse. Set the shiftrod dead center then adjust the interlock plate up or down to match the towershaft. Then adjust the switch.
 
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