Mercury 90 Stiff Gears

JABS · 07 May 2007, 08:52

Hi,

I have a Mercury 90, four stroke and the control lever has gone very stiff, particularly in the astern position. The throttle is fine.

It is a Mercury single lever control.

Just wondered if anyone has experienced the sam problem and can guide me?

Thanks

Tony

alystra · 07 May 2007, 09:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by JABS

Hi,

I have a Mercury 90, four stroke and the control lever has gone very stiff, particularly in the astern position. The throttle is fine.

It is a Mercury single lever control.

Just wondered if anyone has experienced the sam problem and can guide me?

Thanks

Tony

Took mine (the control) to pieces a month or so ago.

Half an hour to get it off the console and the cables off. It was the throttle that was stiff with mine. Gears no problem. The grease was dry and hardening, so I cleaned off what I could and plastered plenty back. Three hours or more to put it back together again - and then again and again until it worked. It's now much easier, but not as good as I'd like. I think the answer is new cables.

Hightower · 07 May 2007, 10:28

The Mercury throttles are always stiff (so I've been told by Fairweather Marine). I also had this problem with mine, I had new platinum cables during the installation and also took the throttle control lever to pieces and greased up. But still stiff! I knew that the cables and lever mechanism was fine because when I detatched the control cables from the engine is was smooth as silk.

The problem for me was that the carb linkage was stiff, it seems a crap design and a common fault. On my particular outboard the carbs where stripped off and cleaned. It was found that a build up of corrosion in the spindles of the carb flaps was partly to blame for stiff operation. However when these where cleaned and reassembled the throttle still wasn't as good as other outboard controls I have used.

Try disconnecting the linkage from the outboard, it's a 10 min job to check and all you need are small fingers or a long nose plier to remove the spring pins. That'll show whether the problem lies in the cables and lever or the outboard end.

Chris · 07 May 2007, 12:11

I have just gone through a similar thing with my Johnson, I kept mucking about greasing stuff and taking the control box to pieces avoiding shelling out on new cables, however nothing really worked that effectively. Finally I got new cables and the difference is huge, even though you may think the cables are ok once they are put under load that is where they get sticky and cause load more drag on the system.

My advice would be before you spend any time on control boxes or gear selectors rule out the most likely problem first which is the cables.

Chris

JABS · 07 May 2007, 12:56

So, what I plan to do is this:

1) Remove cables at engine end.
2) Check for stiffness or binding in throttle assembly.
3) If still stiff, remove remote from console and diamantle. I assume I have to pull the whole assy out before I can get at anything? I can't see a way in from the 'drivers' side??
4) If it is the engine end, worry!

Does that sound like a plan??

Anybody know how much new cables are, roughly??

Thanks.

Tony

Chris · 07 May 2007, 15:47

Jabs,

I would have try a new pair of cables at the top of that list, you should be able to pick up a pair for £60.00

Bear in mind that the gear shift lever will be quite stiff to move by hand especially if the engine is not turning over, you may have to turn the prop over with your foot to get it to go all the way into gear. On mine you can only just push it into gear by hand and this is quite normal so I was told by a mechanic

Also the throttle on mine is quite well sprung (as it should be) and as you open it up and it is moving all the various levers etc it does provide quite a lot of resistance however the one thing I did make sure was that there was no binding.

On mine when you took the cables off and then moved the lever on the control box it felt fine, then when you connected up the gear shift it felt OK although stiffer then when you connected up the throttle it got really stiff. Yet if I disconnected the Gear shift it then felt OK again.

Chris

Hightower · 07 May 2007, 16:26

Tony, don't buy anything yet. Save your £'s because you really don't know what's wrong!

Stripping and diagnosing like you've already suggested is a good free way of identifying which end is at fault.

If money is no object or you realy don't know what to do, let a proffesional take a look.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JABS

So, what I plan to do is this:

1) Remove cables at engine end.
2) Check for stiffness or binding in throttle assembly.
3) If still stiff, remove remote from console and diamantle. I assume I have to pull the whole assy out before I can get at anything? I can't see a way in from the 'drivers' side??
4) If it is the engine end, worry!

Does that sound like a plan??

Anybody know how much new cables are, roughly??

Thanks.

Tony

Mrs Jardon · 07 May 2007, 17:08

if it seems like the cables are stiff then get some platinum ones, they will run close to 120 for a pair but be well worth it

hugh

alystra · 07 May 2007, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1573

Jabs,
On mine when you took the cables off and then moved the lever on the control box it felt fine, then when you connected up the gear shift it felt OK although stiffer then when you connected up the throttle it got really stiff. Yet if I disconnected the Gear shift it then felt OK again.
Chris

I can't understand why outboard remotes are so poor. The standard Teleflex Morse controls you'll find in so many motor boats and yachts are usually finger light with a lovely feel to the action. The cables last for years and years (in fifteen years of full time commercial use on my old ketch I had one cable fail, and that was because someone stood on it while working on the engine). The control is side mounted and exposed to the elements, just like on a RIB, and yet you can still move it easily with one finger.

In comparison my quicksilver Mercury control has felt tacky and crude from new - though, to be fair, it does work.

JABS · 11 May 2007, 19:19

Right, we are getting somewhere, probably not where I wanted to go.

I removed the cables from the engine and the remote is as smmoth as can be.

So.. What is the problem.

The throttle on the engine is free and smooth to move, so it has to be the gear change.

I spoke to a chap at Ribex who thought the gearbox needed shimming. Does that make sense.

My proposed next moves are:

Remove lower unit.

Check gear shift mechanism in remaining engine for freedom.

Examing gearbix shift as far as I can.

Probably take gearbox to someone who knows what they are doing.

Next question??

Who is a good Mercury service company in Hants/Berks??

Warsash Marine have been mentioned??

Chris · 11 May 2007, 20:18

JABS,

Not meaning to sound like a scrathched record but before you strart major gearbox surgery replace those cables.

Chris

JABS · 11 May 2007, 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1573

JABS,

Not meaning to sound like a scrathched record but before you strart major gearbox surgery replace those cables.

Chris

Chris, it's not the cables. With the cables detached from the engine, the lever is as smooth as a nut. There is close to zero friction in the whole assy.

Also, with the 'neutral' button pressed, when the cables are connected, the throttle is smooth.

I really don't see the point of going through the trials and tribulations of replacing the cables which are in a duct and are going to be an absolute b*****d to pull through unless they are an issue.

I am afraid the problem lies in the gearbox, with the shift cam or the prop shaft.

Hightower · 11 May 2007, 22:34

Once you're in gear is the throttle smooth?

Lee Fairweather and Ron Hale are good outfits to use.

JABS · 11 May 2007, 22:38

Yes, once in gear it is fine. The problem is largely getting in reverse. Ran into a pontoon last weekend. Good job it was a rubber boat!

Where are the guys you mention, Hightower?

Thanks

Tony.

Hightower · 11 May 2007, 22:43

http://www.fairweathermarine.co.uk/ Fareham

http://www.ronhalemarine.co.uk/ Portsmouth

JABS · 12 May 2007, 09:29

Thanks Andy!

Much appreciated.

Tony

JABS · 18 May 2007, 17:29

Through a quirk of fate, the gearbox ended up at Bursledon Outboards, Steve Deakin.

The work was done on time and within budget.

The problem was a combination of salt build up on the change mechanism, wear on the gear change cam, wear on the gear change sleeve and general friction in the gearchange mechanism.

It was promised for Friday. I picked it up Friday morning, had it fitted back on in less than an hour! Steve even gave me the two types of grease I needed!

As a matter of interest, I went back later in the day to buy a prop nut, lock ring and a thrust washer and he persuaded me not to buy the thrust washer because they are expensive!

It will get a good run on Sunday. I have my fingers crossed, but I would have to say that this is the best experience I have had of the marine industry so far!

Tony.