No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

R

rscholar

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Oct 9, 2009
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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
 
K

Knightgang

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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.
 
R

rscholar

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Messages
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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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.
 
K

Knightgang

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

F_R

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

rscholar said:
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
Click to expand...

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.
 
R

rscholar

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

rscholar

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

rscholar

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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.
 
F

fishrdan

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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.
 
R

rscholar

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

1946Zephyr

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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.
 
F

fishrdan

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

1946Zephyr

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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.:cool:
 
R

rscholar

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

mrcrabs

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

Silvertip

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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

1946Zephyr

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Re: No neutral on Ted Williams 7.5 outboard

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:D:D
 
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