gear shift lubrication

[firstascent2002]

Deal all,

I've a 3.3 mariner ob and have found that the gear shift has really stiffned up over the last season or so. I can't find a grease nipple to lubricate it. Any ideas better than just squirting massive amounts of wd40 around in the hope that some gets in ???

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[boatless]

No experience with this engine, but suggest that you probably have a mix of old grease and salt crystals in there. The only real solution is to take it apart and clean it up.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[supermalc]

Is it the gear shift, or the cable that has tightened. The newer cables with nylon coated wire should not be oiled, or they will sieze. Also they tend to tighten when having to be bent, and re-routing them can help.

I have had this problem on my 18ft Norman (which I am selling see Boatsandoutboards) I fitted the Mariner in the summer of 2002, and last year, the gear shift became very stiff.

Although I couldn't alter the cables requiring to have a couple of bends, moving them slightly made all the difference.

<hr width=100% size=1>Malcolm.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/malcsworld/>http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/malcsworld/</A>
Take a look at my boating pages.

 

[toad]

If it is based on the Tohatsu 3.5 as i think,the gear shift has a ball and spring for the detent.If you remove the small plate under the power head which is held on by two 10mm bolts you will see the ball and spring,clean out the old hard grease,rinse with WD40 and repack with white grease.

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[charles_reed]

I have a 3.5 Tohatsu (which is exactly the same motor).

I find I have to regularly free-off the change mechanism.

First check you have sufficient uncontaminated 80EP oil in the leg. I usually change this as a matter of course.

At the bottom of the leg is a small rubber bung - when you take this out you will find a shaft which moves Up for in-gear and down for neutral.
Lubricate this shaft and the shaft through the cowling by the rocking gear-change lever. Then, assisting the rocking lever by pulling and pushing the shaft down the drive-leg, free off the mechanism.
Whilst WD40 is a reasonable freeing oil, it's useless for long term lubrication and I use Redex upper cylinder lubricant as the lubricant. The task needs repeating about once a season and is down to a design weakness, insufficient leverage on the change lever.

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