Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

[Creepin_D]

First off, this post may get a bit winded while I try to explain my situation..so sorry in advance.

I have a 1990 Yamaha 115hp outboard and a Yamaha 703 Remote Control Box. Sometimes the motor will go in reverse and most times it will not.

When it will not go in reverse it makes a "grinding" noise because the "teeth" are not meshing. When I turn off my motor and put my control arm on my control box full forward and full reverse, then put it back in netureal and start the motor, it sometimes will go in reverse, but not all the time.

Also, when I shut the motor off and turn the prop with my hand, you can feel a "click", like the motor is not fully in netureal. This problem is solved by moving the control arm back towards the reverse postion maybe an inch.

I am thinking that it make be a linkage issue or maybe the control cable has to be adjusted. Can anyone tell me if indeed this is my problem, and if so where and how do I make the adjustments.

Thanks

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

did this just suddenly happen?? or is it after a gearcase drop? sounds like the linkage needs to be adjusted to me..dont let it keep grinding or you will be looking at a very expensive gear repair. have you check your gear oil lately??

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

Look just above the front of the gearcase for an area where you can see part of the vertical shift shaft. It should be about 1/4" in diameter, so if it looks thinner in that area and very rusty, it could be twisting instead of turning which is needed to go into reverse. That is a common problem with many 1992 and earlier Yamahas used in saltwater.

 

[Creepin_D]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

did this just suddenly happen?? or is it after a gearcase drop? sounds like the linkage needs to be adjusted to me..dont let it keep grinding or you will be looking at a very expensive gear repair. have you check your gear oil lately??

yes, this suddenly happened....no gearcase drops. how do I can about adjusting my linkage? do I do it on the motor side or to motorside? thanks

 

[Creepin_D]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

Look just above the front of the gearcase for an area where you can see part of the vertical shift shaft. It should be about 1/4" in diameter, so if it looks thinner in that area and very rusty, it could be twisting instead of turning which is needed to go into reverse. That is a common problem with many 1992 and earlier Yamahas used in saltwater.

Thanks, I will look into this and see what I find. Thanks

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

you adjust the linkage where the shift cable attaches to the motor..disconnect the shift cable end from the linkage..put linkage in neutral..adjust cable to mate with linkage.river test it..if you have any problems with forward or reverse adjust cable slightly to compensate....not really any way for linkage to just get out of adjustment unless the bolt that holds it came loose or you have loose/broken linkage..or what sea horse described.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

Have no idea if this will help or not. First off must ask, when you turn the motor off and shift to fwd. and then rev. , are you using the throttle only override are in fact operating the shift cable also? Will it shift normally when the engine is off, this only happens with the motor running? If you do get it into rev., does the throttle move freely to apply power?
Initial rigging is in the control box. The plastic eye end should have the cable threaded end just visable but not flush. My paperwork says screw it onto the cable end 11 mm. Can only hope I am not steering you wrong but without being able to look at it can only guess. Just got finished clearing up a problem with a 704 control this morning. Was misrigged and could not apply fwd. power ( worked good in rev. ) although the shift did in fact engage the gearbox enough to turn the prop. The control box contains an interlock. The interlock must be satisified that the motor is in fact in full fwd. or rev. before it will allow you to apply power. Piece of useless info for you. Works the same way on a jet. Throttle must be at idle. Pilot pulls up on the T/R lever to deploy the buckets. He can only pull the lever up further to apply above idle power when interlock circuits are satisified that T/R is fully deployed. Bet your happy I told you that!!!!! Good luck. regards FRED

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

I am leaning to the something broke/came loose option since the problem just kinda came out of no where..i would defiantly check the control as Fred has mentioned.

 

[Creepin_D]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

Have no idea if this will help or not. First off must ask, when you turn the motor off and shift to fwd. and then rev. , are you using the throttle only override are in fact operating the shift cable also? Will it shift normally when the engine is off, this only happens with the motor running? If you do get it into rev., does the throttle move freely to apply power?
Initial rigging is in the control box. The plastic eye end should have the cable threaded end just visable but not flush. My paperwork says screw it onto the cable end 11 mm. Can only hope I am not steering you wrong but without being able to look at it can only guess. Just got finished clearing up a problem with a 704 control this morning. Was misrigged and could not apply fwd. power ( worked good in rev. ) although the shift did in fact engage the gearbox enough to turn the prop. The control box contains an interlock. The interlock must be satisified that the motor is in fact in full fwd. or rev. before it will allow you to apply power. Piece of useless info for you. Works the same way on a jet. Throttle must be at idle. Pilot pulls up on the T/R lever to deploy the buckets. He can only pull the lever up further to apply above idle power when interlock circuits are satisified that T/R is fully deployed. Bet your happy I told you that!!!!! Good luck. regards FRED

When the motor is off I move the shift cable as well. Sometimes it will shift when motor is off, other times it will not. Once I get it in reverse all cables move freely.

I have been talking to some other people, and they are telling me to check the clutch dog and the shift shaft. Do you agree with that?

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

It would be simple to eliminate the linkage problem first. Just disconnect and remover the shift cable end on the motor. Is a quick disconnect, grasshopper type clip. Do both cables mover freely now? If the throttle still will not apply power, pull back on the loose cable end and see if there is anymore play in the cable that will satisify the interlock in the control box and release the throttle. Also check that the receptical on the motor and control box are secure and not worn allowing the outer cable sheathing to move. There is a large grove in the cable ends that slide into a slot. Is a simple matter on the motor side. 2 bolts hold the retainer down where the cables go thru. Remove that and inspect the condition of the slots that the cable sheathing grove slide into. Inspecting the sheathing security on the control will require that you unmount the controls and remove the back plate, 5 or 6 screws.
One more thing to look at is the curvy track that the actual shift linkage roller ride in on the motor. Once you disconnect the cable, it should be easy to move the linkage. Check that there is no debris in the track grouve, also checking the security of the track. That could be your problem right there. The motor will not be running so if you encounter any resistance in the linkage travel, you might have to rotate the flywheel a bit. I still think the problem is in the shift cable rigging. Keep us informed. regards FRED

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Having trouble getting a 1990 115hp in reverse.

the only normal problem with the clutch dog it it will get rounded off and slip causing violent jumping...but I guess something in the gear case could have come loose. that would be the last thing to check..do what Fred said first