50 HP Force Linkage seems loose

[bevelman98]

Just picked this boat up from a brother in law.. runs like a champ and had it out today for a bit to test it out. When the controler is in nuetral the prop is still spinning. You have to continue to back it up going into the reverse side before you can hit neutral. It's a little tricky to say the least. Is this an easy fix? Something with the controller it's self or the linkage going to the motor or finnaly something in the motor?

Any thoughts on this would be apprecaited.

Also on a side note there has to be something missing that locks this motor down so when you place it into reverse the motor doesn't come out of the water. I can see a clip on the left side of the motor but there is nothing there to attach it too. Does any one have a diagram of this? Or know what part i am looking for.

Thanks again.. great site.

 

[gunner1]

Re: 50 HP Force Linkage seems loose

Let's start simple- what year is this motor? Also- is it suppossed to have a power tilt unit attached to it? Without one, the motor WILL come out of the water in reverse. I would say one of two things could be causing your problem- either your neutral safety switch is not working correctly or your shift linkage is out of adjustment. Either way they are easy fixes.

 

[bevelman98]

Re: 50 HP Force Linkage seems loose

I have a 1985 Force 50 hp. Model 507X5A. Should this motor be allowed to start while it's in gear? I need to get a book and trust me that my next investment. If there is suppose to be a safety switch because I can say it's ceratinly not working. Second thing you mentioned it was the linkage and i am thinking it might be out of wack slightly. Like i said before you can find neutural.. it's just not where the throttle arm thinks it suppose to be. It's slightly on the reverse side.

Last thing nope it doesn't have power tilt however there should be something to lock it in the down posistion. At this point i was coming into the ramp and had to slow it down a bit just slipped it into reverse and the motor flew right out of the water. Some one would have to sit on it just to use it. I found this on crowleymarine.com. I can see number 40 but there is nothing attached to it. No bolt of any kind.

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury_parts/1213/10.cfm

Thank you,

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 50 HP Force Linkage seems loose

The reverse lock mechanism is the assembly that sits below the swivel yoke in the diagram. I have difficulty making the numbers but they look like 60, 62, 63, 64. or thereabouts. It consists of a pivot pin, a bent plate, and a bar or cable that actuates the plate to engage the engine tilt/thrust pin that passes through the holes in the lower clamps.

The cable actuating arrangement on these engines is goofy to say the least. I think the engineer who designed them never graduated or was at the bottom of his class. There is a lot of compliance in the system and sometimes, no matter how you adjust the cables they will always react just as you are experiencing. Unfortunately it is normal. Frequently, if you put the control handle in vertical position, the shift linkage is not in neutral and the engine will not start. You must then cycle back into reverse and then forward to neutral for the linkage to center itself in neutral. The engine is not (or should not be) starting in gear. you just think it is because of the position of the control handle. If it is starting in gear, then you MUST adjust the shift linkage itself.

 

[bevelman98]

Re: 50 HP Force Linkage seems loose

Ah i see that part now and have looked under the motor. Parts are completely missing and accorinding to that website they can not be ordered. I think i can rig something up Thanks for the advise on that part.

Now on to the linkage.. when i first started this up i placed it in a garbage can of water.. the gear shift was in the nuterual posistion however the motor was in gear and started this way. I could see the prop turning well i could see all the water coming out of my can. When i kept coming back with it i did hit nutral.

I had to laugh at the "bottom of the class comment" I do tend to scratch my head and go hmmm a few times while playing with this motor. However it runs good so I am happy about that.

So since it will start in gear i should be adjusting the linkage some where?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 50 HP Force Linkage seems loose

Is the neutral interlock switch missing or bypassed? it is common for people to do this on these engines. On the starboard side of the engine (side opposite thr starter) there should be a brown micro switch about 3/4 inch square and 2 inches long. there will be a white button in the center. The shift linkage depresses this button only in neutral. There will or should be two yellow wires connected to the switch. If the wires are connected together, the switch is bypassed. Probably because the original owner had shifting and starting problems.