Re: Overheating in reverse on a 1985 force 85....
CDBLAZERS, interesting and tough problem. No guarantees but given the reverse only and 1 to 1 1/2 minute delay before buzzer goes off seems to indicate this; in reverse does the motor lift up such that the prop get close to the water surface? It could be prop turbulance allowing air to enter the cooling water inlet, this would account for the time delay until it gets hot. I would also check for proper water flow from the pee hole while idleing, there's a possibility the water pump impeller is marginal, in forward gear the water flow across the inlet directs the water into the inlets and it cools properly, but in reverse gear the opposite happens, the water tends to move past the inlet, a good impeller will provide sufficient draw to prevent this, but a marginal one may not, take a visual look at the lower unit water inlets and you will see what I mean. The third and least likely possibility is a short in the ignition switch to engine harness whereby the buzzer wire gets grounded by the control shift/throttle linkage or the shift/throttle linkage on the engine when in reverse. Check for clearance where the harness goes past the shifter and in the engine area, if all else fails then with the ingnition on/engine off and in reverse, twist move and lightly pull the engine harness, also lift the engine up and see if the buzzer goes off, there may be an internal short in the harness. I'm really grasping at straws here so good luck.
