95 Johnson 120 stays in reverse when shifted to neutral/plus new low speed vibration

[ptbrakefield]

I'm sure each of these is covered separately and answers could have been found searching, but they have both started happening at the same time... connected possibly?

​​​​​​I have been using my boat all summer with no issues. However, in the last couple of weeks, I noticed that when you shift to neutral from reverse it stays in reverse until shifted forward and then back to neutral. Also, in the last week, there is an intermittent "thrumming" vibration while at and just above idle speed.

Can these two problems be interrelated?

I can figure out/fix the shifting; I'm just curious/hopeful that the vibration is related.

 

[racerone]

I do not see a 120 HP listed for 1995.---So let us start with a model # of your motor.

 

[ptbrakefield]

Interesting... It's on my 95 Sea Nymph deck boat and has been on it for at least 16 years (the PO saved a bunch of old registrations). It's in the water at my dock and we're having rough weather, so I can't get the model number right now. Think it could be a leftover 94? It's rated for 130, which they DID make in 95...

 

[ptbrakefield]

I went out to try to find the model number in the rain, with the boat in the water, but it was just too much. We're back home from the lake now, but... the motor is definitely a 1994 model. I guess they just kept using what they had til they ran out and started putting the 1995 130s on them.

Anyway, the original question still stands... can the linkage being out of adjustment cause an idle speed thrumming vibration? It idles a little erratically... could it also possible just be the engine idling and making the thrumming vibration? It's not constant...

 

[Stratos 201ski]

There is a neutral slide lock bar inside the controls that locks it into place when put in neutral check to make sure it didn't break or malfunction. I had one break on me before and had the same results it wouldn't shift back into neutral

 

[ptbrakefield]

There is a neutral slide lock bar inside the controls that locks it into place when put in neutral check to make sure it didn't break or malfunction. I had one break on me before and had the same results it wouldn't shift back into neutral

Mine goes back straight up and down and locks... you have to pull the "trigger" to get it to go backward or forward from there... but when it locks, it's still in reverse. Is that what yours was doing?

If you go from forward into the locked position it goes into neutral. Only from reverse does it stay in reverse.

 

[Stratos 201ski]

I think there is an adjustment for that going into the motor sounds like your slide lock is working correctly if I'm not mistaken I think it's called the trunion screw you could try to google that