quicksilver 3000 throttle only button won't pop out

[crashpro]

I have a 1998 Nitro that has a quicksilver 3000 controller for the motor. Yesterday, the throttle only button stuck in, thus the motor wouldn't go into gear. I pulled the button out and there are four small plastic prongs on the end of it and one of them is broken off. I'm assuming that it fell into the mechanism and jammed things up. How do I gain access to the spring mechanism, and can I do it without removing the whole assembly from the boat. It will be very difficult to get to the nuts on the backs of the screws that secure it to the boat. I already have the handle off.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: quicksilver 3000 throttle only button won't pop out

Typical complicated Mercury design--works well, but if something does go wrong, it is difficult to repair.

I was just over on the Mercury Forum a couple of weeks ago with the same control box. As I was told, the prongs will usually break when you remove the center button. You need to at least remove the center brass nut and pull off the handle, however, if something is jamming the button in, then you will definitely need to remove the control box.

Now, with the button removed, you will be able to see the actuating or disabling pushrod in the center, so before you do anything else, use a long narrow screwdriver to try and push it in. See if it pops out on its own. There is a possibility that the button or its shaft was jamming inside the control lever or brass axle. That's all I can give you. Perhaps you will get more info over at the Merc forum.

And yeah---I had to remove the whole gunwale on an aluminum bass boat to remove the control box---big PIA to remove three or four screws.

 

[anple]

Re: quicksilver 3000 throttle only button won't pop out

I had broken this button twice to fix the trim switch/wires. I always keep 1-2 in spare ~$5/piece

 

[crashpro]

Re: quicksilver 3000 throttle only button won't pop out

Well, I decided to jump into it yesterday and mine is mounted into fiberglass. I am partially disabled with RA and had a heck of a time getting the control box out. It took me nearly 1 1/2 hours working from both under the console and also from access that was gained from removing a storage bin in the rear deck. Long story short, I found that the button/shaft had one of the four tabs broken off of the tip and I assumed that that broken piece was hiding in the grease. I disassembled the entire mechanism and thoroughly checked for it using a toothpick, but never found it. I did push on the center of the actuator from the back side and if popped right out. However, when I use my three-legged button, it jams at the bottom of the stroke. I then had to pop it out again from the rear. I am wondering if the problem is that by the shaft of my button having a tab missing, that it is putting the mechanism in a bind at the bottom end of the stroke. When I approach the bottom of the stroke to where the shift lever will release, I hear a "click" and the mechanism tilts at the last 1/16 of an inch or so, then requiring the push from the rear to release it. I can get a new button, but am a little afraid to see if it takes care of the problem, as I hate to tear it all out if it doesn't. However, the second time will go much more quickly than the first. The button moves freely within the brass nut (no binding).