boat mechanic type question?

i bought my first boat with a steering wheel last year and for the most part no real complaints. it has a 1984 35HP motor that fires up and idles pretty good, but the last couple times i used it, getting the motor to engage in forward drive seems tricky.

it will go into reverse every time, but sometimes when i put it in forward, it just revs the motor. after being in reverse for a few minutes, it sometimes can go back in forward, and then will seemingly work fine after that, just real smooth...

if anyone has some things that i can check, please help me. Thanks! Brent

Don't know enought to tell you what it might be, but there is a board for mechanic stuff on here that get's a lot of usage. Might post it there.

Have someone look into the shift linkage adjustment sounds like it has gotten loose and moved.

Had a similiar issue with mine...shifter linkage adjustment corrected the problem

The linkage would be the first thing I would look at but it also could be the clutch dog in lower unit not engaging the forward gear because it's worn or the gear has some burs on it. The clutch dog slides back and forth on the main shaft that engages the forward and reverse gears when the motor is shifted. I think they also made electronic shifters in the lower unit back then so it could also be something wrong with the shifter in the lower unit. Good Luck.

way above my pay grade. good luck and let us know please

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Originally Posted by beagle man

way above my pay grade. good luck and let us know please

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i think the old boat's headed to the mechanic for a tuneup. i'll let you know what they said it was, hoping it's the fellas above said, cuz that's not too expensive. :-)