1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

[cimarron1601]

ok so the old suzuki has worked great up till this morning when, well here is the story:

unloaded boat and headed to fishing spot, all is working great. killed motor and proceded to catch nothing. started motor to find a new spot but now has no forward gear, motor revs but prop wont engage, no clicks clunks or anything. reverse however works great. thinking its cables I pulle dthe cover and every thing looked just fine, shift arm moved all the way but did not see it "jump" like normal when it pops into gear. I pulled the cable and tried to force it further but it was as far as it goes. turned the prop by hand and it turned free. so I flaged a tow and one at the dock i decided to investigate, but now every thing is working again. once I got home I turned the prop again with forward working and it is locked one way which is good but it makes a ratchet noise(click) every quarter turn or so the other way. It may have done that before idk but I am afraid i will lose forward again at the worst posible time if I dont find somethind wrong.

Ant Ideas?

 

[Hoffmann]

Re: 1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

check linkage running through shaft to lower unit to make sure nothing is loose! Also change lower gear oil to make sure there isn't excessive metal in lower unit which would indicate a serious problem! Good luck!

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: 1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

Welcome to the forum ..... sounds to me like you spun your hub ..... take the prop off, and take it to any boating shop they will press in a new hub for you ...

 

[cimarron1601]

Re: 1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

really dont think it was a spun prop cause it fixed itself from not even an idle turn to working fine, but I will keep it in mind. I have drained the gear lube and no shavings at all, very clean still. linkage seems ok now I have tried it a couple hundred times, I guess I will just stay by the populated areas of our river, use it and see what happens. must have been some kind of fluke deal.

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: 1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

On the hose the prop will turn normally (with a spun hub) because there is no load on it .... take it back to the water and you will see you will get nowhere ....

 

[cimarron1601]

Re: 1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

I think you have mis-understood what i was trying to say in my first post.

before I pulled it out of the water it had fixed itself. I ran it on the trailer and even played with it a little bit (gave it a quick throtle burst) on the way from the dock to the boat ramp, with no felt slip at all.

Sorry for not being clear, I sometimes have an issue putting my thoughts into words.

 

[waffles1]

Re: 1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

i had a similar problem and found out it wasn't going completely into forward gear. I adjusted the linkage and had no further issues. If it happens again undo the linkage and see if it is going all the way into forward. Good Luck!

 

[James R]

Re: 1986 suzuki dt85 shifting problem

I concur. Linkage adjustment.