My outboard wont stay down

[totallydave]

Hi,

Just bought a 2006 Mariner 5HP 2stroke as an Aux.

I may struggle to explain this problem due to my lack of knowledge of outboard parts terminology, so don't laugh if this sounds basic - hopefully it may make some sense...

The sprung clip [attached to the leg] on the tilt mechanism should latch over the top of the pin in the bracket when the outboard is fully down so that it does not accidently rise up. However, the clip is prevented from this as it first hits on a 'pin that rises out of the back of the leg'. Not sure what this pin is or whether it should move under certain condtions - I have attached a photo (sorry a little blurry).

Any advice? what is the pin? should it be in the way?

Thanks.

[willk]

I can't make any sense of that pic, sorry

Generally, a small outboard should NOT lock in the down position - the exception being when it is in reverse gear*. This helps prevents damage to the leg should you clip something.

*when the lock often engages by clipping down onto the trim tilt bar (the adjustable pin I think you may be referring to)

[totallydave]

Originally Posted by willk

I can't make any sense of that pic, sorry

Generally, a small outboard should NOT lock in the down position - the exception being when it is in reverse gear*. This helps prevents damage to the leg should you clip something.

*when the lock often engages by clipping down onto the trim tilt bar (the adjustable pin I think you may be referring to)

Aaaahh! yes, OK I get it. Now it makes sense.

The pin goes down when I select Reverse and this allows the lock to engage. But when in Neutral or Forward the pin is up and prevents it locking.

Obviously as per design.

Thanks.

[colcreate]

An outboard doesn't usually need to lock down when in forward gear the thrust keeps it against the transom. The "pin that rises out of the leg" is designed to stop it locking down when in forward gear in case you hit something while traveling forward.
It should only lock when in reverse to stop the leg climbing out of the water.

[totallydave]

Thanks

[Al Baker]

Cool pic' Dave, maybe running your boat in deeper water might help the engine stay down.

[Hightower]

On some of the Honda 150hp 4 stroke racing boats I've seen, there are rubber bungy straps stretched from the saddle around the leg and back to the saddle to prevent movement of the leg whilst wave hopping. Perhaps you could do the same?

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by colcreate

An outboard doesn't usually need to lock down when in forward gear the thrust keeps it against the transom. The "pin that rises out of the leg" is designed to stop it locking down when in forward gear in case you hit something while traveling forward.
It should only lock when in reverse to stop the leg climbing out of the water.

I'm not 100% in agreement.......

[9D280]

I'm with colcrete on the not locked down thing.

Its only now I have power trim that my engine is "locked", and even then there are bypass valves in the hydraulics in case it meets something solid.

I've never locked an engine down in fwd - regardless of Hp.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by PeterM

I'm not 100% in agreement.......

For what reasoning?


jky

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

For what reasoning?


jky

If you drive a boat with even 1/4 or 1/2 throttle and back off power quickly the OB will swing up (due the drag on the prop through the water) ....if you then need to put power on again there is a huge BANG as it smacks back down against the transom ....repeat this a few times and it all goes silent as the engine falls off......and stuff breaks....

Thats before you get to the point of the prop coming clear of the water if pressing on in rough water etc......its a whole lot of movement that is bad news

Very small OBs dont tend to suffer this but anything more than about 10hp shoud have a down lock of some type in my experiance (even it if has finite point of failiure to protect from collision- but even then they dont really 'give' much - they just break...)

[jyasaki]

Makes sense. Thanks for expounding a bit more.

jky

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Makes sense. Thanks for expounding a bit more.

jky

No worries..was a little pushed for time with 1st reply...