1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

[andrew620]

i'm having trouble with my throttle and shift cables. the action is very tight and i don't have a smooth full range of throttle. also when shifting into foward or reverse (reverse not as bad) it doesn't pop into gear it makes a grinding noise before i feel it grab. i just had a new lower unit installed and don't want to damage it. what can i check before i spend more $$ ?? can the cables be lubricated? how do i know if the adjustments are correct? could there be something wrong with my new lower unit??please help, any input would be much appreciated.

 

[derektaus]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

on my 77 johnson there is a throttle tension adjustment on the front of the shifter. A few adjustments and mine was much smoother.

 

[andrew620]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

thanks i'll give it a try. any more info greatly appreciated.

 

[ezeke]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

The swivel barrel at the top of the shift rod needs to be set no more than two turns out from gently seated, with the flat side facing the driveshaft. There is a nylon bushing in the hole at the top where the pin reconnects the bellcrank. If the bushing is missing, you won't be able to get good alignment.

Once you have the shift rod right, put the remote in neutral and disconnect the shift cable at the engine. Take the sparkplugs out so that you can turn the flywheel easily by hand.

Using the shift lever at the engine, move from neutral to forward and check that the gears are locked in forward by turning the flywheel clockwise. The propeller should turn clockwise.

Move to reverse and again check that the gears are in reverse by turning the flywheel clockwise. The propeller should turn counter-clockwise.

Move the lever back to neutral and determine that the propeller will spin freely.

Move the remote control arm fully forward and back to neutral. Adjust the cable using the trunnion wheel until the cable will slip on without making any adjustment to the engine linkage, and reconnect.

 

[andrew620]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

it looks like i have some work to do. i'll give it a try this weekend, hope it does the trick. thanks for all the help ezeke. I have to say that being a new boat owner, it's good to know you can get the help you need from others with more experience. thanks again.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

You will get some lower unit impact noise when you shift into gear. The clutch dog collision with the gear face is pretty sudden and dramatic. To minimize any gear wear, you should shift into gears vigorously. Don't be timid-that will cause that grinding noise and excess wear. Thrust the shift lever into gear fully, quickly, then advance the throttle.

 

[andrew620]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

I was able to make the adjustments to the throttle and shift cables with the adjustment knobs at the linkage to the power head. i'm a little nervous though i'm at the end of the threads with the shift cable. if any more adjustment is needed there and i'll need some more advice. i did open the remote control box and found that al parts were in good working order. the only question i have now is, should the tachometer ground wire be grounded inside the remote box? seems to me that wire should be grounded to the battery. it was grounded to aluminun attached to a wooden upholsterd block. other than that i think i'm ready to get back out in the river. thanks for all the input.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

Not sure just what color the tach ground wire is in question. The factory left a grey tach lead (unconnected) inside the control box when the engine was shipped to the dealer. If the customer ever wanted to add a tach to the boat, that grey tach lead can be pulled through a hole in the bottom of the control box and connected to the tach signal terminal.

 

[ezeke]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

The ground wire for the tachometer was normally wired to the small M post on the ignition switch, just as the purple positive voltage for the tachometer was normally pulled from the A post on the ignition switch.

The gray tachometer signal wire that was folded inside the control was wired directly to the tachometer S, and was never connected to anything else.

 

[ezeke]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

I was able to make the adjustments to the throttle and shift cables with the adjustment knobs at the linkage to the power head. i'm a little nervous though i'm at the end of the threads with the shift cable. if any more adjustment is needed there and i'll need some more advice. i did open the remote control box and found that al parts were in good working order. the only question i have now is, should the tachometer ground wire be grounded inside the remote box? seems to me that wire should be grounded to the battery. it was grounded to aluminun attached to a wooden upholsterd block. other than that i think i'm ready to get back out in the river. thanks for all the input.

The casing guide on the shift cable has opposing set screws at the end which hold the guide to the cable inside of it. If the cable slips between the screws, it will be difficult to adjust the cable or to keep good control from the remote. Be very careful to follow your service instructions when using the set screws, because if you tighten them more than specified you will cut the cable and have to replace it.

 

[basstastic]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

I have a 1974 ranger bass boat with a 85hp johnson when i try to go full throttle it goes but when i go to go in reverse it is lock out and then i have to take the shifter all a part and realine it . if any one has any insite on this it would be awsome

 

[refuse2]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

I have a 1974 ranger bass boat with a 85hp johnson when i try to go full throttle it goes but when i go to go in reverse it is lock out and then i have to take the shifter all a part and realine it . if any one has any insite on this it would be awsome

I had one like this and finally just found a new replacement controller but what I had found out was that there are 2 gears (probably the ones you have to reset) to replace and only 1 gear was still made and I couldn't find the other at all. Hope this helps.

 

[basstastic]

Re: 1973 johnson 85 throttle/shift cable help!!

thanks