1990 force 85 shift adjustment problem

[patrickj]

I have a 1989 bass tracker pontoon, last year I swapped a 1990 force 85 horse onto it and brand new cables. Worked perfect last year. Pulled it out today to get it ready for fishing and it will only catch one of the 2 gears, I cant get both... I've adjusted and adjusted till I'm blue in the face. Adjust it a few turns and itll go into forward but reverse clicks, few turns the other was catches reverse but not forward. It has a dual stick type shifter, one for shift one for throttle. If I get reverse working and unhook the cable at the motor it needs an extra half inch of pull to catch forward... please help

 

[jerryjerry05]

Sometimes the shift rod, where it goes through into the lower unit will get stiff
and hard to shift, WD or oil and move it and see if that helps.
There is a double nut lock system at the top of the shift rod(under the bottom
carb) you might need to adjust there?
The shift mechanism, where the cable is connected, might be wearing out?
Check for looseness or slop.
The shifter:: check for loose cable connectors and loose parts in the shifter.

Sounds like the shifters for a lot older motor?? Might think about an upgrade?

 

[patrickj]

The shifter and motor are from the same era... original to the boat, there is no slop in the shifter or cables.

Tell me more about the adjustment on the shift rod. I haven't seen it... so the shift rod comes straight up and there is some sort of bracket on it... I'm not in front of it trying to remember what it looks like.

I can get forward way easier than I can get reverse... so I loosen top nut on that rod which way do I adjust?

 

[kbh121956]

Patrickj the adjustment that Jerry is talking about is right under the carbs. It does have a bracket on it. That bracket is part of the shifting linkage. Look for it with a flashlight, unhook the cable and shift it by hand and you will see it.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Post a pic of the shifter?
If it's a 90 model? then it's a 90hp.

The air intake in the front of the lower cowl has 4 tiny screws.
Remove them and access to the shift rod is WAY easier.

I believe if that's what needed adjusting the shift rod needs to have the nuts adjusted down.

 

[patrickj]

I'm sorry I must've been wrong it is definitly an 85, so maybe an 89.

On the shift cable, there is a bracket that catches the neutral safety switch, that bracket goes down and connects to kind of a flat bracket that moves up and down. Im not seeing a way to adjust it but it is hard to see down in there

 

[patrickj]

Ok, so it's a 88 model 85 horse, I tried adjusting the double nut both ways... that thing is impossible to get to! But tried adjusting them down and up, no change... I can get reverse but it needs another 1/8th inch of pull in the cable to click into forward... I'm at a loss here

 

[patrickj]

Is there a difference in the shift and throttle cables... I'm thinking about switching them to see if anything changes

 

[Nordin]

I am wondering if the lower shift rod is right adjusted.
Does it it have the single exhaust LU or dual exhaust?

I will check in my shop manuals because I am not really sure which one should have the lower rod threaded all way down and which should have it four turn out from bottom (all way down).

 

[jerryjerry05]

Both cables are the same.
If you removed the plenum or air intake (rectangular box) it's easy to access.

Can you access the shifter? See if the connections are solid.
Sometimes just undoing the cable and reattaching can make a difference??

 

[patrickj]

856x8a is my model... I tried the 4 turns out which is what the service manual says... it's worse there than if I'm all the way down

 

[The Force power]

In my manual; it says for a 2-piece drive shaft its 4 turns out, is yours a 2 piece?

 

[patrickj]

I'm unsure, I've never had the lower unit off

 

[jerryjerry05]

88/85 is a 1 piece drive shaft.
They started the 2 piece in 90/91 so they could swap it to the L drive.

 

[patrickj]

Switched cables... re adjusted everything... still wont catch both gears, even made a bracket to move the mounting point forward or backward... no dice... why is this so complicated

 

[The Force power]

I hate to say it but; it maybe time to pull the lower-unit & bench-test the shifting-mechanism, if that is not working you'll have to open her up.
did you by any chance remove the shift-pin /screw and put it back? (on the side of the LU near the bottom, not the drain-plug)

 

[VivaLaMigra]

Jerry's probably got it nailed; you may have to tinker with the "turnbuckle" adjustment on the shift rod. It may have been misaligned last time someone pulled the lower to replace an impeller.

 

[patrickj]

Can someone give me some info on what to do or look for when I get the lower unit off

 

[The Force power]

once the lower unit is off, you can see by pulling up/pushing down the shift-rod to see if gears are working

 

[The Force power]

Jerry's probably got it nailed; you may have to tinker with the "turnbuckle" adjustment on the shift rod. It may have been misaligned last time someone pulled the lower to replace an impeller.

explain please