3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

[Kiggsia]

This motor jerks and I think the clutch slips.It is an intermittent problem. It gets spells where at full throttle it will jerk and shake the transom a bit, and the engine rpms will raise but the boat will slow somewhat as if the clutch is slipping. After I got the motor home, I started looking for evidence of the problem, but the clutch and drum seem OK. I found a small wad of seaweed wrapped around the prop shaft between the shear pin and the shaft seal, but could this cause the engine to jerk and the clutch to slip? If it were a steady problem, I'd think that the lower unit was damaged causing binding and clutch slippage. But mostly it runs OK. I've tried all the settings for adjusting motor tilt in case I was having a cavitation problem, no difference. Cavitation would be almost constant I would think. Anybody had similiar troubles?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

Please just use the standard font in your messages. The blue, boldfaced font you chose is very hard to read.

I don't know of any 3hp Gamefisher that has a clutch. Please give the model number of your outboard, which you'll find somewhere near the transom mount. Gamefishers were made by more than one company for Sears.

Most of the 3hp Gamefisher motors were made by Eska, and used a shear or drive pin behind the prop, in a groove. If the prop is not tightened fully, this can slip. It can also slip if the pin is not the correct one or the correct diameter. Sometimes, people substitute non-standard pins in these motors, causing the problem.

New pins are still available from www.searspartsdirect.com, but you will need the model number of your outboard. If you post that number here, we might be able to give you more information.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

Ah...I see that Sears sold some Tanaka 3hp outboards under the Gamefisher name in 1988. Those models do have a clutch. Model numbers start with 298.

Clutch parts are available at www.searspartsdirect.com. Plug in your model number to see the exploded parts diagrams and part number list. It's likely that your problem does originate in the clutch. You may just need some sort of adjustment, or it may be worn out or have broken parts.

Beyond that I can't help, since I've never worked on any of the Tanaka outboards.

 

[Kiggsia]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

Thanks for your suggestions. I hope the clutch linings are not at fault-a clutch job on this little motor would cost more than it could be sold for. They are not worn down to metal as auto brake and clutch linings get when they began to slip and malfunction. And the drum is not scored. I plan to try it again tomorrow after having removed that small wad of seaweed. The prop can't be not tight enough because it is secured with a cotter pin with virtually no play, no shaft nut is used like on most outboards prop shafts.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

Yeah, that's the problem with some of the off-brand outboards. They're not worth enough to spend the money to fix them.

Good luck to you.

 

[Kiggsia]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

I used the motor again yesterday, and the jerking and slipping persists, some of the time. I'm wondering if I could make a coupling to eliminate the clutch, and make it easily undone and returned to the centrifugal clutch if the jerking and slipping did prove to be cavitation. I once had a 3.6 HP Scott Atwater that had no clutch, neutral or reverse, and I got along OK with it except running the gas out of the carb had to be done at just the right distance from the dock, or I had to paddle the rest of the way in, or not run all the gas out. Once I accidentally opened the gas valve more rather than close it (it was upside down and sometimes I forgot to pay attention to which way I was turning the valve handle) and had to turn sharp to avoid hitting the dock, the little 10 foot Jon sank and I lost a landing net and 2 fishing rods. Got them both out when I used a snagging hook the next day. Was able to clean the motor out and keep it in use. A Scott is another motor that I know of no place where you can buy new parts for it.

 

[Kiggsia]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

Might this engine use a water pump impeller to cool the exhaust passages as some Eska motors do, and if the impeller is binding might this cause my clutch to slip?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

No water pump on that Tanaka-built outboard. It's essentially a weedwhacker with a prop.

 

[Kiggsia]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

Thanks for your reply. I made an important discovery today. I disconnected the driveshaft from the clutch and from the lower unit, and found the lower roller bearing that mounts in the driveshaft tube in a rubber mounting grommet, was seized with corrosion to the driveshaft. The shaft was very badly corroded around this completely seized little bearing. This is most likely why the motor gets these jerking spells, when the whole bearing turns inside the rubber grommet, or whatever it may be called, and there must be a binding occuring causing the clutch to slip. I hope I can still buy a new shaft, bearings and mounting grommets and that they are not unreasonably expensive.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 3HP Gamefisher Being A Real "Jerk"

www.searspartsdirect.com

The driveshaft and all those components are still available. However, they may cost more than your outboard is worth. I looked them up and was pretty shocked at the prices.

Sears has pretty much all the parts for that outboard in stock. Go to that site, put your model number in and you can look at exploded parts diagrams and parts lists. You can order parts right there.

There are no aftermarket parts for your Tanaka-built outboard, I'm afraid.