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73 johnson 25hp shifting problems

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autiger2166

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I fixed my overheating problems thanks for all the help.But now my forward gear will not engage all the way sounds like its grinding I got netual fine and reverse fine .When the motor ain't running you can shift it threw all the gears there is a little play. In the forward gear you have to spin the prop about a 1/4 turn. Any suggestions ?
 
The play you feel is simply the distance between the shifter lobes of the shifter clutch dog and the lobes on the gear(s).

If the engine shifted okay previously, you have not aligned the grooves properly on the shift rods with the holes in the brass shift connector.
 
Spinning the prop the 1/4 turn is the way they are there is nothing wrong with that.--------------When you hooked up the connecter in the exhaust housing did you line the notch in the rod up with the hole in the connecter ?-------only when they are lined up can you put the bolt in.---------------Did it work OK before the waterpump work.
 
Yes the motor was shifting fine before all the waterpump work. Here's. One more question what's the best way to line the notches up on the shift rods in the brass coupler?
 
Good strong flashlight.---------What I do is rotate the prop to line up the lugs on clutch and gears and then use the shift lever to move connecter till things line up.----------That is the way I do it ( many years experience ) your results may vary.
 
When I try and line the shift rods does lower unit and the motor have to be in the same gear worked on cars a lot. I'm kinda novice on boat motors so all this info is very helpful I'm really thankful
 
Good strong flashlight.--------The two bolts must be in the notches on the rods.---------Forward / reverse / nuetral does not matter.---------The notches must line up with the bolt holes.
 
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autiger2166 said:
When I try and line the shift rods does lower unit and the motor have to be in the same gear worked on cars a lot. I'm kinda novice on boat motors so all this info is very helpful I'm really thankful
Click to expand...

The lower unit doesn't need to be in any gear. All you're interested in during this procedure is to have the grooves in the shiftr rod lined up with the bolt holes in the brass shift connector. A pair of long nose pliers would be a big help.

Assuming that you only removed one (1) bolt from that shift connector as you should have (No need to remove both). the shift rod that was removed would have a definite carbon marking on how far it was previously inserted (a guide of sorts).
 
You tried to align the shift rod grooves with the bolt hole in the brass shift connector? That's the only thing you took apart that pertains to the shifting and you said that it shifted fine before you dropped the lower unit to install the water pump. Did you remove anything else pertaining to the lower unit shifting.... the small philips screw in the skeg perhaps?
 
I did align the groves on the shift rod to the bolts on the brass connector. As far as taking anything else apart no what is the skeg but I know I didn't touch it.Kim how do adjust the linkage I'm not understanding what your talking about. I got all my gears when the ain't running but when its running I dnt have forward gear its not engaging all the way.
 
The skeg is the extreme bottom portion of the lower unit, a fin of sorts.

Very strange that it shifted fine previously and all that was distrubed pertaining to the shift was one of the shift rod retaining bolts from the brass shifter. I've no more ideas so I'll just sit back and see what develops.

Were you working on that engine alone or was there someone else helping you occasionally?
 
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I'm at work now ill try it when I get off. One more question these two bolts on the motor Kim where at on the motor so I kinda know what I'm looking for
 
Take the lower unit back off and check to see if it shifts properly on your work bench.

You can check the engine's shift linkage for play at the same time.

Let us know what you find.
 
When it shifts into forward it is NOT a solid lock of the gears.-------------You can move the prop back and forth about 1/4 turn.--That is the way a clutch dog on your motor works.-------------------Does it move the boat ?-----------Has the prop rubber hub been checked ?-------Describe your problem in some detail.-----As in ,what do you mean to say when you mention " doesn't catch like it should to me "
 
I got it fellas damn coupler wasn't real well I'd set the shift rods up perfect I'd line up the notches on the shift rods get it tightened down when I'd shift into forward the shift rod would slid out of the coupler about a 1/16 of a inch out. Which was throwing it out of wack I finally sat down and took my time and paid attention to the lil details. Its running like a cadalic shifts real good and all I thank all your guys help.
 
i have a 1973 25hp evinrude that i picked up. it will start fairly easy, shifts in and out of gear fine. the problem is that when i shift into forward it will idle fine and even accelerate a bit. but once you get about half throttle or under load it kicks into neutral. it does not do this in reverse. also, you can hold the shift lefer in place to give it full throttle but once at full throttle its starts revving up and down and is kinda lurching. any ideas?
 
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