No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

[rscholar]

I just purchased a SEARS Ted Williams 7.5 H.P. OUTBOARD MOTOR, Model# 217585870, Serial Number 5202399. The motor hadn't run in years, but with new gas, a little starter fluid, I got it started and running pretty good. One problem that has me confused is there is NO Neutral! I took off the top covers, and saw the pin that goes into the "throttle thing" (the brass thing that keep the speed lever from going to FAST). The pin goes up and down with no problem and goes into the hole it was designed to go in. BUT, the prop goes around whether in Drive or Neutral. The reverse is "you turn the motor around 180 degrees." Not having neutral is a bit hairy when leaving and returning to the boat landing!! Is there something in the lower unit I should be looking at? I drained and refilled the lower unit lube twice already. Thanks for any help!

Bill in Holland, Michigan

[Knightgang]

Does it rotate fast in neutral? It could be just the centrifical force causing it to spin slowly in neutral. If it were in the water, it probably would not do it if it were spinning slowly.

[rscholar]

As I get older, I can't remember to well anymore, but I think I tried running in neutral on the water with the same results (going in drive). I just tried it out-of-water for a second, raised and lowered speed, and think the prop moved faster with raised speed.

[Knightgang]

It is possible that there is something broken or disconnected that will not allow it to disengage. If it has a neutral selection, then it should go in neutral. I do not know enough about that engine guide you other than to trace the shift cable and all linkages and see what is disconnected/broken.

[F_R]

I just purchased a SEARS Ted Williams 7.5 H.P. OUTBOARD MOTOR, Model# 217585870, Serial Number 5202399. The motor hadn't run in years, but with new gas, a little starter fluid, I got it started and running pretty good. One problem that has me confused is there is NO Neutral! I took off the top covers, and saw the pin that goes into the "throttle thing" (the brass thing that keep the speed lever from going to FAST). The pin goes up and down with no problem and goes into the hole it was designed to go in. BUT, the prop goes around whether in Drive or Neutral. The reverse is "you turn the motor around 180 degrees." Not having neutral is a bit hairy when leaving and returning to the boat landing!! Is there something in the lower unit I should be looking at? I drained and refilled the lower unit lube twice already. Thanks for any help!

Bill in Holland, Michigan

There is confusion here with all the sears motors that won't go into neutral all of a sudden. This one with the model number 217.xxxxx was made by Eska. Sorry to tell you this, but forget the clutch on this one. They didn't work six months when they were brand new. They are a steel mechanism thar rusts together into one solid glob. At least they fail in gear and not in neutral.

[rscholar]

Well, I guess that tells me I have to warn my passengers from now on, to hang on, cause here we go!

[rscholar]

Does the above mean, there is NO fix? I can't find a solvent/part to dissolve/repair the "glob?"

[rscholar]

Well, I waited all the cold winter waiting for someone to answer my last question, with NO results. My question is: Is there anyway to free up "something" in order to get NEUTRAL working? Anyway to stop the prop from turning, then allow it to spin when I want to go? I purchased a electric trolling motor to get in and out of the dock, but would like to fix my little Ted Williams.

[fishrdan]

As FR said, the clutch is what's giving you problems. I had a broken clutch and got a replacement off a parts motor, worked fine after that. The clutch uses a spring to grab and release the drive shaft, when the shift arm catches the clutch it slips, shift arm releases the clutch it grabs. Hard to explain, but if you looked at it and seen one in action it's easy to understand. If it's just locked up, you can soak it in oil and hopefully free it up. The replacement I got was seized and soaking it in oil fixed it, got lucky I guess.

I don't really remember if the clutch was accessible by dropping the lower unit, but kind of remember that I had to pull the power head. Wasn't that hard, 6-8 bolts and some linkages.

That said, if you don't have a replacement clutch, I don't know if I would go tearing into it. There are no new clutches available for these type of outboards, so getting a used one is the only option.

[rscholar]

Thank-you, Thank-you! I called a local marine parts place, they said the clutch springs come in different sizes, and they have them! Could you please give me the NUMBER on the diagram I need to locate the clutch spring?
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part...0001038&blt=06

[fishrdan]

#11 from this page. I'm doubtful they have the spring, but it's great if they do.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part...0001038&blt=06

[rscholar]

Again, I can't thank you enough for this information! Though it is winterized and covered, there is about 2 feet of snow around it, so as soon as I can get to it without snowshoes, I'll have it apart and head to the marine parts store, or soak it in oil first to see if it breaks free. Thanks AGAIN!!!!!

[1946Zephyr]

The best thing to do is pull it all apart and bead blast the rust off of everything and put it back together. Cleaning things up is the best way to get it to work again. Coat things up with grease and maybe that will keep things from rusting up again.

[fishrdan]

My original clutch had the spring broken, so there is a chance that taking it apart and cleaning/lubing it, won't fix it. I spoke with a guy from Certified Parts (Eska parts central) and he said people weld them solid so they are always in gear, but it seems that's what you have all ready.

Thinking of your situation, if the shift linkage isn't engaging the clutch or out of adjustment, it won't go into neutral. The shift linkage has to engage the clutch for it to go into neutral.

[1946Zephyr]

yea, I had one or two of them things in the past. Not exactly sure anymore what they look like, but cleaning things up would be my logical approach to fixing it. F_R had a good point earlier. Likely, it's a rusted glob and is beyond help. One could look into it and see before they tear into it.

[mrcrabs]

I found one relacement in the whole world at this link, there tuff to to get off the shaft even in good condition.

http://www.boatsportandtackle.com/se...-CLUTCH/Detail

[rscholar]

I checked the site. Guess you're right, cause it said "Out of Stock." I wouldn't pay $50 for it anyway.

[mrcrabs]

They must have just sold it, I talked to these people last month about it when I thought I needed one and it was still there,

[Silvertip]

In the good old days none of the motors had neutral. Pull the cord and you were under way. Spin it 180 for reverse. As for neutral, most engines idled slow enough that you didn't go anywhere anyway.

[1946Zephyr]

exactly. If you have a direct drive motor, just point the bow of your ship towards the direction you want to go, before you pull the rip cord

[rscholar]

Thanks for all the help, suggestions, memories, but I will continue my endeavor to get this motor running the way it was designed. My local marine parts supplier, said they have the part (Van’s Marine in Grand Rapids, MI), which when I get the clutch assembly out and decide it needs to be replaced, I’ll follow up on. I have been in boats for over fifty years, and do know how to pull and go, and aim to the sea, but that is not the problem. It’s coming into the haul out dock, in high winds that poses the problem. Judging the speed to reach the dock isn’t always that easy, in high winds, and when I have to shut the motor down, then get blown off my coarse, I end up in the rocks! Where if I had a neutral/forward, I could ease in, much more safely. And, has anyone tried turning the motor around 180 degrees (reverse), while heading down the lake? Good way to get thrown out of the boat! And try to pull the cord with the motor at 180 degrees, one would have to be standing behind the boat and get run over/chopped up in the process! If all I had to do was shut down and run into a sandy bank, I could live without neutral. That said, I’ll keep you informed.

[fishrdan]

That's good you were able to source a clutch. I've found some NLA parts by scouring the internet and calling around to local marine shops. Some of those places have a ton of parts "no longer available"

When you get the power head off, try to turn the clutch, it should spin free (well relatively free) in 1 direction and lock up in the other direction. If it's stuck solid, then you have to start figuring it out.

[rscholar]

That is a BIG help, trying to figure out the problem. If it doesn't turn in any direction, I'll try lubing it up good for a few days, then see if it begins to loosen. If not, plan B, see if I can replace it.

[rscholar]

Fishrdan: First of all I again say thanks for all the help, but I have to tap you one more time, if it's okay? Now that the snow has given way to a bit of green, I went out, used penetrating oil on the six (6) bolts/screws that hold the power head on, then two days later was able to remove them without any problems. I gave the lower unit a couple of bangs with my hand, but I didn't see anything indicating it was about to separate the head from the lower unit. I simply left it like that, not wanting to break anything, and figured I'd ask for more help before I continued. So, is there a simple fix, like laying it on it's side and banging some more, or is there something I've missed? I don't want to bang on the lower unit, only to discover parts falling out, that I wouldn't have a clue where they came from. Any advice would be sorely appreciated!!!

[fishrdan]

This is going to be like the blind, leading the blind as I haven't owned that outboard for 5-6 years... But as I remember it () you have to disconnect the shift linkage, heck, possibly other things to get the power head off. Honestly, I don't remember how to get the power head off and don't have a manual to look at, I just winged it when I had to repair mine.

Is the powerhead stuck on solid or is it loose with something holding it from coming the rest of the way off? The water tube and/or drive shaft could be stuck too, keeping the power head from coming off all the way.