Motor Sticks in Reverse

[DOC33]

1990 Crestliner Phantom w/120 Johnson. Shifting from reverse to neutral, the motor stays in reverse. I have to go to forward and back to neutral to make sure it is in neutral. Any ideas, possible easy fix? I haven't taken anything apart to look yet.

[marine_man]

I'd pop the hood off and watch the shift cable move while someone works the shifter at the console... it could be as simple as a loose connection / missing clip.

marine_man

[BoxMN]

Use your finger and run it along the shifter cable right from the cowl area on the motor and up the cable where it comes out back by the splash well area. I bet you will feel a "bump" somewhere, and it is probably where the cable bends. My guess is it is broke, and you just need to put a new $30 cable on it. Guess how I know that one? While you are at it, if that is it, just do yourself a favor and get a new throttle cable as well. mine went out a couple weeks after the shifter cable, ha! If you can loosen up the "hoop" or "loop" back there, it will last longer. But if it still is orignal from '90 you are doing pretty well!

Good luck, hopefully just a clip, but I bet the cable is broke.

[DOC33]

Thanks Marine and Box for replies. I will be heading to the lake in 1/2 hr and will take a look this weekend.

Bought the boat last spring and don't know if the cables are originals.

Any suggestions if I'm on my second set of plugs this summer? Could this be from running too rich. I mix @ 50:1, but wonder sometimes about leaning out a bit.

Motor runs good, smokes some when it starts, can be cold blooded at times, but I've heaard that about this motor. One thing I know for sure, it is a thirsty bugger.

Thanks again.

[boatfixer]

Quite possible its out of adjustment, also a classic sign of a worn cable.