Tower shaft and shift linkage issue

[BoostedTimmy]

Bought a houseboat a year ago with a non running Force 85. Upon compression check I found cylinder two to be very low. I found a used powerhead with good compression and paid a guy to install it over the water. Was working through a bunch of other problems before I was ready to try and start the motor. When I went to start the motor I noticed I could no longer push the throttle forward. Upon closer inspection I found the bottom of the tower shaft is hitting some sort of tab preventing it from moving forward.

What is this thing? I can't find l much mention of it in my Clymers manual. I thought I saw it was something to do with neutral but not sure. Any good resources on this part of the engine? This is my first time working on an outboard and I'm not sure I understand how this or the gear shift arm are supposed to operate.

 

[kbh121956]

BoostedTimmy, Post your model number of the 85hp and year. Does the throttle handle move at all? There is a tab on all outboards that will stop you from throttling the engine too high while in neutral. Once in gear you are then able to get full throttle. I just noticed that your clamp that holds your throttle cable isn't hooked up, without it you aren't going anywhere. I don't care for the Clymer manuals, they are hard to understand! Look on eBay for a force service manual, much better. Chances are the both your cables are not hooked up on the outboard itself. The man that did your install should have hooked them up for you, he didn't finish the job. Keep us posted, others will also answer.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Your cables need to be hooked up.
Then the shifter handle needs to be pulled out to engage the fast idle position.

Read the first 3 posts in the Force forum.
Good tips and procedures for some repairs.

 

[BoostedTimmy]

I had undone the cables to see if I could move the gear shift arm or throttle manually (couldn't). So that tab is attached to the gear shift arm and moves out of the way when in forward it reverse? Maybe the arm won't move because the pivot bolt is too tight. Will check back with model number and look over the stickies. Thanks!

 

[jerryjerry05]

After you unhooked the linkage did you get it to move?
The throttle needs to be pushed all the way back to slow idle for it to shift.

 

[BoostedTimmy]

It's model 856F7A. How much should that arm move? It seemed to move up a little but was still unable to clear the stop pictured above by maybe 1/32". Looks like if I pull the starter off I can get to it and adjust the height of it. Unfortunately it wasn't nice enough out yesterday to reach into the water to see if it was actually in gear or not.

 

[kbh121956]

Your outboard is the same year as mine, 1987. If you are not in gear the throttle will not move foreword much. Without starting it, put it in gear while your cables are disconnected. You should be able to move the throttle to WOT (wide open throttle) You have a neutral safety interlock switch that prevents a person from starting it while in gear. If your outboard is in gear while running, you will see the turbulence in your test tank/barrel. Post your results as Jerry has much more knowledge then I do.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Try unhooking the linkage and shift it then.

 

[BoostedTimmy]

I can move that arm backwards, but not forwards (towards the prop) far enough to even disengage the safety switch. Either direction I move it it still isn't in gear. Any idea what might have caused this during the powerhead swap? This seems to be the root of the problem

 

[jerryjerry05]

Could be you moved it out of gear when you dropped the drive??
OR??? Sounds like the shift rod didn't engage when the lower unit went on??

My 225 is a BBBB to align the rod and connector on the drive.

Drop the drive 1/4" at a time and see if they are connected?

 

[BoostedTimmy]

Just to be sure the circled part is the shift shaft right? Ignore that nut on the top I had loosened it up while trying to understand what everything did

 

[jerryjerry05]

That is the shaft and the nuts are the adjustment points.

You the boosted from the 405?

 

[BoostedTimmy]

Not sure what the 405 is :joyous:

I got it running and after rocking the shifter back and forth it finally went into gear. Shifts smooth as butter now. Thanks for all the help.

 

[jerryjerry05]

I guess your not the Boosted from the 405(zip code)

Show on tv, about street racers from OK City, Oklahoma

Boosted is one of the drivers on the show.

Glad it's fixed.