outboard gear lever stuck, well nearly.

[simonfraser]

i have a 4stroke 6HP suzuki ob, 2006 vintage.

the gear lever is now v. stiff, any worse and i will not be able to change forward/neutral/reverse at all, or possibly bust the lever.
it is very hard to move in any direction.

the engine had water in the oil last summer, sorted out by the dealer.
the oil window is showing normal engine oil now.

i've tried WD40 on the outside of the lever to no effect.

the cable leading to the top of the engine is mobile.


sounds like a gearbox problem to me, any other suggestions ?

 

[seasolutions]

drop the gearbox oil? if there's a dead squirrel in there thats proably your problem

obviously you've WD40'ed all the links in the linkage between the lever and the box?

I take it it's out of warranty?

 

[VicS]

Not likely to be a gearbox problem.

Far more likely to simply be the gear lever shaft. Stainless steel shaft through aluminium casting ... recipe for seizure!

If you can waggle the lever a bit then it will be else where but if you can feel no free movement sure as eggs is eggs it'll be the lever.

My Evinrude has a grease nipple to grease the shaft, lesser makes often don't and they seize up .

I assume you have checked the gearcase oil and you dont have a box full of water.

 

[pvb]

My Evinrude has a grease nipple to grease the shaft, lesser makes often don't and they seize up .

Lesser make? Didn't Suzuki actually manufacture most of the Evinrude/Johnson 4-strokes??

 

[VicS]

Mine predates that, genuine Evinrude!

 

[VicS]

Gear lever assembly.

Lower shift rod

Gearcase

Inards

 

[simonfraser]

tnx, that's a lot of levers, and as suggested the shaft may well be stuck.

hmm, can i get that out hanging over the stern . . . .

 

[VicS]

I should give you the link to the source of the diagrams It's http://store.brownspoint.com/microfiche.asp

I suppose a good first move would be to disconnect the joint between the upper and lower shift rods accessible via a plug in the side of the leg. Then you will be able to determine for sure if its seized at the top or if there is problem down below. Mark the position of the clamp on the two rods though before you undo it so that you can put it back in the same position.

To access the shift lever shaft it looks as though you will have to remove the whole powerhead from the leg. I have no idea how easy or difficult that will be or indeed if you will also have to remove the gearcase from the bottom as well. Id guess that even if you can pull the powerhead you might need to take the gearbox off before refitting it. Depends really on whether or or not the watertube can be guided into the pump.

If the problem turns out to be in the gearbox I have no idea what it would be. There should not be any resistance at all to moving from reverse through neutral into forward gear even if you can feel a bit of spring pressure going the other way.

No you will not be able to do anything hanging over the stern. At least unlike an inboard its easy to unclamp it and take it home. And its lighter than my Evinrude!

 

[Bobobolinsky]

tnx, that's a lot of levers, and as suggested the shaft may well be stuck.

hmm, can i get that out hanging over the stern . . . .

Yes as long as you are a good diver and have a metal detector