Need help with spark advance rod

[EODJay]

I have a 98 Johnson 90hp TSLECM that was rebuilt about a year ago and I monkey fisted the ball and socket for the spark advance rod when I put it back together. No big deal, lesson learned and I replaced it. Yesterday while out, the spark advance rod starts popping out of place. Put it back in, get up on plane, all is well until you come back down and it pops out again. I attributed this to the spark advance rod being locked down pretty tight. Might be wrong about that, maybe the ball and socket were just not great parts. I tried to set the advance but not tighten the rod down so much but the thumb wheel just backs of with movement of the throttle/advance rod. I tried putting jam nuts on either side but that just locked it down tight again. I'm going to replace the ball and socket and see what happens but don't want to keep replacing this part. Anybody have any tips for this?

 

[racerone]

They used those from about 1968 to 1998.----So nothing wrong with the design.

 

[EODJay]

I think I found the problem. Looks like the previous owner made a shim for the middle of the spark rod holder and it takes any spring effect out of it when you tighten the thumb wheel. Therefore you have to tighten it down way too much so the rod doesn't have any give to it. I took out the shim, put it all back together and it seems fine. All good, I got to learn something today.