my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

hi there jb just wondering if u can tell me what's wrong with my 50 jhonson when it starts going (forward) it is fine untill about quater throtle and after thet it idles very high like i put it back into neutral and won't grab untill i throttle down.? is there something i can adjust or do i have to replace something i'm going crazy trying to find the problem the cable shifts fine but when im in the front i can't really see what it's doing? please help.

Re: my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

Have you tested for a spun hub? I found this suggestion using the search...


Mas
Chief Petty Officer
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 618

Re: 1962 Johnson 40hp Gear slipping?

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Maybe a spun hub. Take the prop off and mark a line from the hub to the outside of the prop. Run the motor again on the water, then take off the prop again and see if your marks moved relative to one another.

Re: my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

thanks i'll try that,so let's say that the marks move is it a big job? do i have to take the lower leg apart? and is the hub pricey?

Re: my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

If you're hearing a THUMP , like you hit a log, it may be the dog gear is worn. The fix for a spun prop is to remove the prop and have a prop shop re-hub the prop.

Re: my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

for about a$100 i went and got a new prop, i also had this problem and it was a coupel things, one was a spun hub the second was a chipped tooth o the pinion gear in the lower unit. jst got mine back together today

Re: my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

i got a new prop today and a new hub for 100 flat ,but i have to wait till the weather clears up. i hope that's what it is. did u have trouble changing the gear on the lower unit?

Re: my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

izzy g said:

i got a new prop today and a new hub for 100 flat ,but i have to wait till the weather clears up. i hope that's what it is. did u have trouble changing the gear on the lower unit?

Click to expand...

I would test the old prop to determine if the hub is spun before putting a new one on. If the old prop is fine, which it may be, you could use the $100 for replacing the "just as likely" worn clutch dog.

The clutch dog has "ears" that engage the forward and reverse gears. When the ears get rounded because of wear, the motor can pop out of gear.

MAS

Re: my outboard pops out of gear or into neutral

The spun hub theory is a good starting point. If that is not the problem and the engine is actually jumping out of gear under load you will need to inspect the parts in the foot. The cheapest and most common problem is the clutch dog. This piece slides on the splines of the propellor shaft as the shift handle is moved to engage either the forward or reverse gears. With the clutch dog centered the engine is in neutral. Years of normal use or improper shifting rounds the ears of the clutch dog and also of the engaging bosses of the gears themselves causing the engine to jump out of gear. If the gear bosses are rounded there is little point in replacing the clutch dog by itself. The by the book fix is to replace the clutch dog and gear set. In many engines the forward and reverse gears are identical. If that is the case swapping the position of the gears will bring the clutch dog into contact on the opposite set of gear bosses within the gear giving you a brand new engagement surface (unless, of course, this has already been done before). If memory serves me, the clutch dog can also be rotated 180 degrees and reinstalled on the prop shaft using the opposite and new set of engagement ears. Gear sets aren't cheap. Only careful inspection can determine if what I suggest will work for you. Best of luck! Contact me if you think I can help.