[Freshwaterman]

I'm posting a question for a friend.

He has a Johnson O/B. It has never given him trouble before, but the other day he put it in the water and he went to put it in reverse and there was no reverse. He tried forward with the same results. It wasn't even trying to engage! No noise from it attempting to go into gear, just the sound of the motor reving. He took the cowling off the motor, everything looked normal, he simply wiggled the cables and put the cowling back on, cuz he didn't see a problem there. Just out of curiosity, he tried putting it in reverse again and it worked perfectly? Forward was good too, and didn't have another problem with it.

Any ideas what the heck could cause that? And is it something to be concerned about?

Thanks......KC

 

[kenny]

Yeah I have an idea, he was in neutral with the button pushed so he could rev the engine out of gear. After he did what ever, the binnacle was back in the correct starting position.

 

[regulator]

Ditto Kenny

Sounds exactly right, wish my problem was that easy to fix... Kenny you got an easy solution for a blown cylinder, is there a neutral button I can push to fixit...
lol, I need a new motor...... w/out my wife knowing I got it... aint gonna happen

 

[Freshwaterman]

Yeah I have an idea, he was in neutral with the button pushed so he could rev the engine out of gear. After he did what ever, the binnacle was back in the correct starting position.

I was figuring it had to be something fairly simple. If it were something serious seems like it would have been acting up some along the way, or at least be making some kinda noise if it were a lower unit issue.

But what do I know? Nothing about motors. That's why I'm asking you nice knowledgable folks.....:biggrin:

 

[Profish00]

button was stuck, I and your friend hope!!!!!

 

[InfamousJ]

Thats why EFI is the way to go. No buttons to confuse the fisherman. No bulbs to squeeze. Turn the key and go. LOL

 

[kenny]

OK,
Infamous I've been wanting to repower anyway. When will you be sending that check?

 

[Hogheaven]

Your problem sounds fixed... But a a future refrence i use this site fairly often when I have problems with an outboard.

http://www.outboardrepairs.com/topics/016138.html?motors

 

[MT Stringer]

Sounds like the answer is the button was stuck. So you need to ask your friend if he used it to warm up the motor and possibly it was stuck. Otherwise it would pop out when the binaccle was returned to neutral. But you said he could go both ways with no response from the transmission.

Hmmm, I think he needs to double check the cable and insure cable movement (and transmission engagement) at the motor when the binacle is moved back and forth. Maybe the cable was trying to seize in the housing. Or, maybe there is another problem like a friend of mine discovered while way away from the boat ramp. His cable housing split and the cable was protruding out the side. They finally figured the problem out and limped back to the dock after using a handfull of tie-wraps to keep the cable in the housing. Go take a look.
Mike

 

[Freshwaterman]

Thanks folks. He said that he had used the button to warm it up, so that was very possibly the culprit.

Hog Heaven.....Thanks for the link. It could sure come in handy.

Take it easy...............KC

 

[EndTuition]

They can stick..

Been there, done that.
The neutral button can stick on a binncle, even if it's well maintained. It's a bear to get it to pop back up cause there's nothing to grab !