1988 Force 85 hp shift/cable installation/adjustment issues

Hello everyone,

Just bought an old Bayliner. It has an 1988 Force 85hp Outboard on it that fired up and idled nicely when we went to look at it. When I was there the seller mentioned it wouldnt find 100% WOT for some reason. It didnt bog down or anything, in fact it ran nicely when he increased the throttle. It just didnt open the carb butterflies all the way. We assumed it was the cables or a linkage adjustment was out. Further inspection when home we noticed the cable was bent down at the link(engine side) for some reason. So went to dealer and purchased some new ones.

It uses the 17ft 3300 threaded end cables. Ive done a lync and sync on the carbs/towershaft. I can rotate the cam and get the butterflies to open all the way at WOT. Idle stop screw is hard against the block while the butterflies are closed. Should the butterflies be slightly open when in idle(neutral gear) or should they be snapped shut hard? I left them snapped shut before i adjusted the towershaft link?? (not sure what you call it - it attaches to the cam)

Now as far as installation of the cables goes. The manual says to push the shift linkage(engine side) towards the STERN and put the controller into forward gear???? Is this correct? FORWARD is towards the STERN????

Now I suppose i could start it and see which way the prop spins while noticing which way i move the shift linkage but i need a new fuel hose/bulb and would like to get this task finished first anyhow.

Can anyone tell me how this system works? I am using an aftermarket SL3 controller. Its pretty basic and accepts threaded cables. The controller install was pretty straightforward and everything looks good there. Its just a basic R-N-F side mount with neutral safety switch option but i already have one on engine so i omitted it. But other than that its basically same configuration with two throw arms. One for shifting and one for throttle. There are alot of different holes to mount the cable to but i followed the tables in the instructions and hooked them up to the proper holes. It shifts back and forth very easily but i think i have them hooked up wrong as far as controller vs shift linkage direction goes.

So do I push the shift linkage(engine side) towards the REAR of the boat while controller is in forward gear? The controller is a push forward and pull reverse. Well thats how i have it setup. It can actually be setup for pull forward and push reverse.

I think i hooked up the cable backwards the first time and had the shift linkage at the engine in the wrong direction after I found an online manual that says to do it this way. Is this correct? I have to push the shift linkage towards the rear of the boat while the control is pushed into forward, then hook up cable?

Also how much "deadzone/play" should there be from when forward gear is engaged and throttle movement starts. While looking into the carbs the butterflies dont seem to move until the controller moves an inch or two when just coming out of forward gear. Is there an adjustment for this? I cant seem to figure this out.

Thanks for any advice and have good day!

F

Forward gear is to the front.
Inside the lower unit, forward gear is in the front of the unit(just in case you needed to know)

An aftermarket shifter should have 2-3 mounting holes for the cable. What hole are you using?
Probably needs to be the bottom and front.

Since it's an aftermarket?? Any markings or anything on it to denote it's for a force?
The throw might not be long enough to make the cable move the throttle far enough to make it wot??

What was wrong with the old shifter?
You still have? If so shift it and see if the throw and the arm length is the same??

I believe to shift to F the shift linkage goes back. R is the opposite.(I think)

Dead zone: Shifting into and out of gear: the shift must make the drive engage first then the arm for the throttle moves.Maybe an inch??? Maybe less.
Usually there is no adjustment on the shifter it either works or not.

Hook the cable with about the same amount of threads on each end.Can be adjusted more if needed.
Then in N back at the tower shaft you put the adapter on the cable and pull the cable so the adapter just slides over the post with a bit of resistance.
The F-N-R you leave it in N then adjust the motor so the shift mechanism is in N and then slide the connector over the post.

Fill out the profile and add a signature.
You might be close to someone who can help????

Pictures can always help. You'll need 5 posts to add pics but you can add using a photo share site.

Oh yea Welcome!

Jerryjerry05 said:

Forward gear is to the front.
Inside the lower unit, forward gear is in the front of the unit(just in case you needed to know)

An aftermarket shifter should have 2-3 mounting holes for the cable. What hole are you using?
Probably needs to be the bottom and front.

Since it's an aftermarket?? Any markings or anything on it to denote it's for a force?
The throw might not be long enough to make the cable move the throttle far enough to make it wot??

What was wrong with the old shifter?
You still have? If so shift it and see if the throw and the arm length is the same??

I believe to shift to F the shift linkage goes back. R is the opposite.(I think)

Dead zone: Shifting into and out of gear: the shift must make the drive engage first then the arm for the throttle moves.Maybe an inch??? Maybe less.
Usually there is no adjustment on the shifter it either works or not.

Hook the cable with about the same amount of threads on each end.Can be adjusted more if needed.
Then in N back at the tower shaft you put the adapter on the cable and pull the cable so the adapter just slides over the post with a bit of resistance.
The F-N-R you leave it in N then adjust the motor so the shift mechanism is in N and then slide the connector over the post.

Fill out the profile and add a signature.
You might be close to someone who can help????

Pictures can always help. You'll need 5 posts to add pics but you can add using a photo share site.

Oh yea Welcome!

Click to expand...

Thanks i love this site ive been reading for 6 months now while i work on my project. Lots of valuable info but i finally hit a bump in the road and had to make an account. Thanks again for the reply.

Anyways.... Ive sent a link to the installation instructions with pictures. Its the SL3 side mount.

Im using hole #1 for the throttle cable at the lever and using hole # 2 for the cable nest.

On the shift cable Im using hole #3 for the lever and #3 for the nest.

link: http://imgur.com/a/gr4ee

Now when it refers to "push and "pull" i am not sure what that means as far as cable motion goes. If I have to move the shift arm at the engine to bow of boat then i assume thats a "push to open throttle"? Maybe i have it backwards? Im confused. Been up all night trying to figure this out and I believe i may be getting delirious. But then again if it is as you say and to get the boat into forward gear you have to move the shift arm towards the bow then i guess thats a "push to throttle" - in reference to the instructions???? Thats whats really confusing me i guess.

And also it may be very possible that the throw is simply not far enough to open the butterflies all the way. That did not cross my mind. I will have to get the old controller out and measure the distance. BTW, to answer your question the old shifter was extremely stiff and i tried taking it apart and greasing it and it was just not getting any better. It has not been taken care of and it was even binding on itself on some of the inner plastic parts.

One last thing i just realized in the manual it says to push the shift arm towards the REAR of the POWERHEAD. Is the powerhead towards the rear of boat or am i just stupid. Ha!

http://imgur.com/a/GfUuT

One of the pictures were omitted for some reason in the first reply. Here is the hole layout.

Jerryjerry05 said:

Hook the cable with about the same amount of threads on each end.Can be adjusted more if needed.
Then in N back at the tower shaft you put the adapter on the cable and pull the cable so the adapter just slides over the post with a bit of resistance.
The F-N-R you leave it in N then adjust the motor so the shift mechanism is in N and then slide the connector over the post.

Click to expand...

OK i believe i got it. This is what i needed to know. I PULL the cable before i put it on the post. With a little resistance. Im hoping this will take any little amount of slack out.

And i suppose the inch or so the shifter travels after it hits forward gear sounds normal then. Im just going by what the butterflies are doing as im moving the throttle. They just dont seem to start moving until theres movement a little past forward gear. Id imagine it to be pretty responsive but i guess there just isnt in a boat. Ill have to test it now in the water and see what happens. Thankfully i live in a warm climate where it doesnt get too cold so lakes are open all year round here.

Thank you for the help sir. I think I may be getting somewhere now.

The throttle response. If it was active as soon as you put it in gear, lots of people would run into something or kill someone(themselves).
Some linkages are stiff and need a bit of "room" to make sure the gears engage before you go fast.

An actual pic of the shifter would help??

The "butterflies" they don't have to necessarily be flat for wide open throttle.

The roller on the carb and the throttle cam need to be extended as far as it can when at full throttle.

If you did a link and sink and happened to not set the timing right you can loose a lot of top end??(gotta cover everything)

Fill out the profile.Location? you might be close to someone who can help?