Should throttle cable be disconnected during idle speed adjustment?

[hkeiner]

Does the throttle cable need to be disconnected from the throttle lever while the idle speed timing adjustment is performed? Is there a different result if the throttle cable is connected or not?

I am trying to do the link and sync on my motor for the first time and I am trying to follow the precedures described in the Mercury shop manual exactly. The order of the steps in the manual seems to indicate that the throttle cable should be disconnected from the throttle lever when the maximum timing adjustment is peformed and then not re-connected until after the idle speed timing adjustment is performed. However, I have read many posts on this website discussing idle speed adjustments and none of them seem to mention that the throttle cable should be disconnected at the time of adjustment. I hesitate to disconnect the throttle cable while running the motor out on the water. I have never done that before, although I know how to do it.

I do know that the motor should be in the water and idling in gear when the idle speed timing is adjusted to get the RPMs within spec. I just presumed that the throttle lever on the motor could be moved into the appropriate idle position using the shifter at the steering wheel.

One more question: Does it affect the idle timing adjustment accuracy in any meaningful way if the boat is moving freely on the water vs. if the boat it tied to the dock while idling in gear?

Thanks in advance for any tips or directions on this.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Should throttle cable be disconnected during idle speed adjustment?

No, you can leave the cable hooked up as long as it's not putting alot of preload on the idle screw but is holding it against the stop

 

[hkeiner]

Re: Should throttle cable be disconnected during idle speed adjustment?

Thanks for the response. I will try setting the idle speed, with the throttle cable connected, this weekend and see how it goes.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Should throttle cable be disconnected during idle speed adjustment?

The throttle cable should put a slight pre-load on the idle adjust stop. Normally you do the link n sync, then adjust the throttle cable preload, then put it in the lake and adjust the idle. If the idle has to adjust very much, you will need to readjust the throttle cable.

It's really not a big deal. I normally slip the throttle cable off and on when I'm under the cowl for spark plugs or something, just to be sure it's staying like it should. When it's adjusted right, your idle should be reliable. If it's off, idle will tend to depend on the whims of the gods.

hope it helps
John

 

[hkeiner]

Re: Should throttle cable be disconnected during idle speed adjustment?

I was initially incertain about the idle speed adjustment procedure because the Mercury shop manual seemed to indicate that the idle speed adjustment should be made with the throttle cable disconnected, while it made more sense to me to do it with the throttel cable connected, as also suggested by some of you. I guess in the end what matters is that the motor idles reliably in the correct RPM range when using the boat.

Sometimes I become a bit too obsessed in trying to understand and follow the Mercury shop manual exactly, without any deviation, and worry about unexpected consequences if not followed exactly. Thanks for straightening me out on this particular step.