Motor stuck in reverse

[joe bolesta]

I have a 1981 Johnson 90 hp outboard.

It is stuck in reverse. Throttle/shifter cable is ok.
Shifter moves forward, neutral reverse, but stay in reverse.

Is there a rod that comes loose or breaks? If so,
how do you get to it? Thanks

[Joe Reeves]

1981 Johnson 90 hp outboard. It is stuck in reverse. Throttle/shifter cable is ok. Shifter moves forward, neutral reverse, but stays in reverse. Is there a rod that comes loose or breaks? If so, how do you get to it? Thanks

Follow the shift cable to the powerhead, then to it's shift linkage. You'll find that the end of that linkage ends up under the bottom carburetor with a aluminum clevis (a clamp type arrangement) attached to it that has a slot in it.

A steel rod with a shift hole in the top of it extends from the lower unit and travels up to that clevis with the top portion of that rod slipping into the slot in the clevis. A long shoulder bolt then goes sideways (horizontally) into a threaded hole in the clevis, through the hole in top of the shift rod and tightens securely.

This arrangement (above) causes the rod to move up/down to shift into gear or neutral when the shift cable is engaged.

Not the easiest thing to get at to work on but that's the general setup.

Now, what is exactly wrong is for you to figure out BUT it is very unlikely that anything in that arrangement actually broke. Let us know what you find.

[joe bolesta]

Johnson 90 stuck in reverse

Hey thanks for your advice! Finally getting around to
reply. I followed your instructions. It turned out to be
a broken cable. I released cable end from shifter assembly
and pulled it through gunwale back to the motor. Disconnected motor
end of cable. But had a heck of a time getting it out through motor.
the shifter end had a plastic tab that kept jamming in the motor. They
did not leave enough room to easily pull it through. Almost as if they set it
before motor was completely assembled. In fact, I broke off half
the plastic tab tring to pull it through. I tried and tried with a screwdriver,
but it wouldn't come. I am worried about trying to get the new one back
through without breaking it also. I need to order a new cable. 174 inches
long.

Joe B

[Joe Reeves]

Sorry, I cannot visualize this "tab" you speak of pertaining to the shift cable.

The shift cable is attached to the engine's mechanical shift linkage via a hole in the plastic end guide that slides over a threaded stud of which a 3/8" hex nut secures it there. The cable is then locked in by having the threaded adjustable trunion set in it respected slot and anchored there with a cover and bolts.

I can't imagine why you're having a problem removing and installing that cable UNLESS you're speaking about pulling it through the enclosed gunwale.

[joe bolesta]

Motor stuck in reverse

Pulling the cable thru the gunwale was the easy part.

My description of the "tab" was not very clear.

Where the cable fastens to the forward control, there is a plastic round
"stop" that holds the cable sheath in place in a slot in the throttle assembly, so the cable itself can slide
within the sheath. After pulling the cable thru the gunwale to the back
of the boat, and unhooking the other end of the cable from the carb like you
described, you must pull
the cable thru the motor to get it out. Where they threaded the cable thru the motor originally, backside of the carb, there is hardly any room. If the plastic "stop" were not on the cable,
it would be simple to pull it thru, and be on your way.

However, no matter how I turned it and moved it, it would not slide thru, and I ended up breaking half of the "stop" off, then the cable was free.

The "stop" is about 3/4 inch long, and is round, and is part of the cable sheath.
Look at a new cable, and
you will see what I am talking about.

I am worried I will not get the new cable thru the motor due to the tight fit,
and don't want to break it..

Thanks for your help.

Joe B

[Joe Reeves]

Sorry, I have no idea what you're speaking of when you talk about a "Plastic Stop" on the part of the cable, and it sounds like you're saying that this part attaches to the control box assembly.

I've removed and installed literately hundreds of control cables and have never encountered the problem you describe.

It also sounds like you are removing the cable from the control box and then pulling it back towards the engine, into the engine, and out towards the rear portion of the engine?...... To remove the cable, one simply disconnects it from the engine, pulls it out of the engine, then disconnects it from the control box to remove it... that's it!

Sorry to say that I am at a loss to understand what you are speaking of.

[joe bolesta]

Johnson 90 stuck in reverse

Hey there,
Yes, I take two screws out of the throttle control assembly up front and it comes away from
the gunwale. The case splits in half, and the throttle cable is laying in one half.
The plastic piece molded on the cable sheath holds the cable sheath in place, so when you change gears, the cable in the sheath moves, not the whole thing. This plastic part molded onto the
cable sheath that lays in a slot in the left half of the throttle assembly. It is
about the diameter of a chapstick tube, and about one inch long. When you
pull the cable/sheath back to the motor thru the gunwale, you must pull
it thru the motor, back of the carb, to get the whole thing out. It hangs up
in the too small space. You can't pull the cable/sheath that you have just unhooked from the motor end, as there is an adjustment wheel attached to that end. I wish I could send a photo.

Do you have a new cable that you can look at to see what I am talking about?

Joe B

[Joe Reeves]

No, I don't have any cables left in my remaining stock. However, I now know what you're speaking of.

The "Plastic Piece" you speak of is the "Cable Guide" that is attached to the inner steel wire cable.

The "Cable Sheath" is actually the "Trunion Barrel" that locks the outer cable in place so that it cannot move within the control box.

Yeah... you'd have a hellava job dragging that backwards through the engine assembly.

Like I mentioned... the cable must be disconnected from the engine, then pulled out the front of the engine... you cannot do the opposite!

If for some reason, such as the location of the engine preventing pulling the cable out its front... you'll need to use a hoist or something to temporarily move the engine away from the rig (yes, I've encountered that few times).

[joe bolesta]

Motor stuck in reverse

Thanks Joe,

Do you know where I can get a new cable?

Thanks,

Joe B in Colorado

[Joe Reeves]

Thanks Joe, Do you know where I can get a new cable? Thanks, Joe B in Colorado

Perhaps this site, other marine forums, your local dealership. Those cables are usually always in stock. One just needs to know the length of it.

[joe bolesta]

Johnson 90 stuck in reverse

Hey Joe, I found a new cable at a boat place.

It turned out that due to slack in the old cable, and through many years of use, it had worked it's way back
to a really tight spot, and was wedged behind the carb. on further inspection,
there was a spot toward the front of the motor where it used to lay, and perhaps used to stay put there with a bracketI found was broken off, or a tie
wrap. Where I found the broken cable was where I assumed it was supposed
to be.
A professional mechanic may have known that, but as a backyard mechanic,
I just thought that it was where it was supposed to be, and that was how it
was originally installed, and therefore must come out that way.

I did, however, have to unhook the steering arm to get the cable into the right
place. The throttle/shift cable lays right beside the idler cable. I subsequently
tie wrapped both into place.

Now that I have done it, I'll know how to do it next time!
Isn't that the way it always is with things like this?

Also, there was a hidden grease zerk I found that I never knew was there, that
lubes the rod going to the verticle shift rod, that had not been greased for 35 yrs!

Again, thanks for your help.