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Author Topic:   Mercury Shift and Throttle Controls Stiff

swist posted 06-07-2006 11:10 AM ET (US)
I just put my 2004 [unrecognized acronym] 170 [MONTAUK] with Mercury 90 carburetor four-stroke in the water for the first time. All is well but I can confirm what I've read in other topics that the shifter will never be confused with a Yamaha--very imprecise.
The one other thing that I didn't find anywhere in CW as a common problem is as follows: The control is VERY stiff as you try to increase speed - so much so that it kind of jerks ahead instead of moving smoothly. However, when you pull back to decrease throttle, it is normal (or even a little on the loose side, although not objectionally so).
Any hints where I should look for problems? Are there adjustments for these functions? Or is this normal?
sosmerc posted 06-07-2006 07:04 PM ET (US)
Remove both the throttle and shift cable from the engine and then move the control forward and backward to see how it feels...it should be smooth and easy. If it is not, look behind the dash and see if the cables have at least two feet of free space to exit straight out the back of the control. Make sure the cables HAVE NOT been tied wrapped to anything that is restricting their movement.
If the control seems OK, then try shifting the engine (with it running and at idle) by hand to see how much effort it takes. Work the throttle as well, but never exceed 2,000-RPM on a hose with no load on the engine. If you feel things are too tight back at the motor. take it back to the dealer. Something is not right. Make sure the engine is idling no faster than 800-RPM in neutral.
Was this a brand new control with brand new cables?
jimh posted 06-07-2006 09:27 PM ET (US)
Both the Mercury-brand controls and the Mercury-brand cables are available in several grades. My general understanding was that Boston Whaler used the premium grade for both the controls and the cables on their pre-rigged boats. You should verify that you have the top-of-the-line controls and cables. Generally on a small outboard boat like a MONTAUK the cables are not very long and the bends needed are not very short radius, so there should be very little binding and friction in the cables themselsves.
Several boats which I have operated with Mercury controls have had extremely stiff controls for the throttle. I thought this was perhaps the preference of the boat's owner, and that the friction point had intentionally been set so very high. In comparison, the remote throttle controls of the Yamaha and Evinrude motors I have owned had much lower friction in their operation. Perhaps there is an adjustment in the controls themselves. If you have the installation manual for the controls, there may be an explanation of how to make friction adjustments to them.
swist posted 06-12-2006 08:46 PM ET (US)
I just got back to the boat to look into this.
There are no severe bends anywhere - in the console the cables take an almost striaght shot with a gentle curve into the chase that takes them back to the engine. At the engine I disconnected the throttle cable (pulled a cotter-like pin). It improved the tightness but only by a little. Moving the carb linkage by hand in the engine while disconnected from the cable is not as smooth as I have seen in other engines, but on the other hand there are a lot of things moving in sync.
One other observation - on any boat, the bend radius of the cables in the motor well naturally changes with the steering position (engine to stbd results in a tighter radius, engine to port results in a looser radius). The throttle effort is definitely harder when the engine is to stbd (tighter radius).
Conclusions? I have no idea. If it's normal, why is it smooth as silk when you throttle back? The Yamaha and J/E throttles on previous boats were not nearly this tight.
(Also jimh, there is no adjustment for throttle friction that I can see in the shop manual).

Maximus posted 06-12-2006 09:33 PM ET (US)
Friction adjstment screw is under the control plastic cover...make your adjustments a quarter turn at a time.
Buckda posted 06-12-2006 09:37 PM ET (US)
Maximus is spot on.
My port engine had this problem from my installation...when the dealer inspected it, they fixed it.
This is a simple adjustment...and you'll be happy with the results.
Dave
crabby posted 06-12-2006 09:55 PM ET (US)
I just helped re-rig a buddies Tiara with Merc controls and we both noticed the throttle was stiff (although we never noticed in years past). It was definitely in the control box.
I couldn't find the friction adjustment but will certainly go back in the next few days and look further.
Thanks much Max!
Royboy posted 06-12-2006 10:30 PM ET (US)
Give it a little time and use before you adjust anything. I thought my new rig was stiff too, until I used it a few times and got used to it. Now I appreciate the deliberate pressure it takes to throttle up. I also like the way it stays put where I leave it, no matter the condition of the seas.
Roy
swist posted 06-13-2006 10:19 AM ET (US)
I took the cover off. There are no adjustment screws anywhere - the are 4 screws holding the mounting frame to the console, and then there are two long bolts w/locknuts holding the actual control unit to the mounting frame. One side of the unit has a plastic cover but to take that off, the unit would have to be completely pulled free of the console, and there is not enough cable slack to even come close. They couldn't have you go through all that for a tension adjustment anyway. There is a sticker on the plastic side cover with various mounting and lubricating instuctions but nothing about tension adjustments.
????
Buckda posted 06-13-2006 10:24 AM ET (US)
The tension adjustment is under the engine cowling. I suspect this is where your resistance is coming from.
swist posted 06-13-2006 10:30 AM ET (US)
Where there's two different opinions on where it is.
Exactly where is the adjustment?
Thanks
Jim
swist posted 06-13-2006 12:39 PM ET (US)
And the winner is...
None of the above!
I finally found the instructions for the control (model 4501) and the engine shop manual. There is no adjustment in the engine. There is an adjustment in the control, BUT it's located a couple of inches *below* the handle shaft - that means it is inside the console, but just barely. I could just get to it by squeezing a small 11/32 open end wrench between the control housing and the cutout in the console. If the cutout hole had been a little tighter it would have been impossible without removing the control.
AND guess what, the control installation manual says to adjust the tension BEFORE mounting the control. The way they designed it, you don't really have any alternative, but what kind of sense does that make?
Anyway I loosened it and it helped a little but not as much as I would like - there just seems to be a lot of inherent stiffness in the system. Shifting is not easy either - you have to kind of jerk the throttle in and out of neutral. (There are other threads in this forum that confirm this).
I want my Yamaha shifter back!!!
Jim
sosmerc posted 06-13-2006 03:46 PM ET (US)
No, what you REALLY want is DTS!!!:)
whaler16 posted 08-06-2006 11:47 PM ET (US)
The washer behind the pivot on the block builds up rust. Put a stainless steel washer in place of the original and grease it regurly. I had the same problem.

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Author	Topic: Mercury Shift and Throttle Controls Stiff
swist	posted 06-07-2006 11:10 AM ET (US) I just put my 2004 [unrecognized acronym] 170 [MONTAUK] with Mercury 90 carburetor four-stroke in the water for the first time. All is well but I can confirm what I've read in other topics that the shifter will never be confused with a Yamaha--very imprecise. The one other thing that I didn't find anywhere in CW as a common problem is as follows: The control is VERY stiff as you try to increase speed - so much so that it kind of jerks ahead instead of moving smoothly. However, when you pull back to decrease throttle, it is normal (or even a little on the loose side, although not objectionally so). Any hints where I should look for problems? Are there adjustments for these functions? Or is this normal?
sosmerc	posted 06-07-2006 07:04 PM ET (US) Remove both the throttle and shift cable from the engine and then move the control forward and backward to see how it feels...it should be smooth and easy. If it is not, look behind the dash and see if the cables have at least two feet of free space to exit straight out the back of the control. Make sure the cables HAVE NOT been tied wrapped to anything that is restricting their movement. If the control seems OK, then try shifting the engine (with it running and at idle) by hand to see how much effort it takes. Work the throttle as well, but never exceed 2,000-RPM on a hose with no load on the engine. If you feel things are too tight back at the motor. take it back to the dealer. Something is not right. Make sure the engine is idling no faster than 800-RPM in neutral. Was this a brand new control with brand new cables?
jimh	posted 06-07-2006 09:27 PM ET (US) Both the Mercury-brand controls and the Mercury-brand cables are available in several grades. My general understanding was that Boston Whaler used the premium grade for both the controls and the cables on their pre-rigged boats. You should verify that you have the top-of-the-line controls and cables. Generally on a small outboard boat like a MONTAUK the cables are not very long and the bends needed are not very short radius, so there should be very little binding and friction in the cables themselsves. Several boats which I have operated with Mercury controls have had extremely stiff controls for the throttle. I thought this was perhaps the preference of the boat's owner, and that the friction point had intentionally been set so very high. In comparison, the remote throttle controls of the Yamaha and Evinrude motors I have owned had much lower friction in their operation. Perhaps there is an adjustment in the controls themselves. If you have the installation manual for the controls, there may be an explanation of how to make friction adjustments to them.
swist	posted 06-12-2006 08:46 PM ET (US) I just got back to the boat to look into this. There are no severe bends anywhere - in the console the cables take an almost striaght shot with a gentle curve into the chase that takes them back to the engine. At the engine I disconnected the throttle cable (pulled a cotter-like pin). It improved the tightness but only by a little. Moving the carb linkage by hand in the engine while disconnected from the cable is not as smooth as I have seen in other engines, but on the other hand there are a lot of things moving in sync. One other observation - on any boat, the bend radius of the cables in the motor well naturally changes with the steering position (engine to stbd results in a tighter radius, engine to port results in a looser radius). The throttle effort is definitely harder when the engine is to stbd (tighter radius). Conclusions? I have no idea. If it's normal, why is it smooth as silk when you throttle back? The Yamaha and J/E throttles on previous boats were not nearly this tight. (Also jimh, there is no adjustment for throttle friction that I can see in the shop manual).
Maximus	posted 06-12-2006 09:33 PM ET (US) Friction adjstment screw is under the control plastic cover...make your adjustments a quarter turn at a time.
Buckda	posted 06-12-2006 09:37 PM ET (US) Maximus is spot on. My port engine had this problem from my installation...when the dealer inspected it, they fixed it. This is a simple adjustment...and you'll be happy with the results. Dave
crabby	posted 06-12-2006 09:55 PM ET (US) I just helped re-rig a buddies Tiara with Merc controls and we both noticed the throttle was stiff (although we never noticed in years past). It was definitely in the control box. I couldn't find the friction adjustment but will certainly go back in the next few days and look further. Thanks much Max!
Royboy	posted 06-12-2006 10:30 PM ET (US) Give it a little time and use before you adjust anything. I thought my new rig was stiff too, until I used it a few times and got used to it. Now I appreciate the deliberate pressure it takes to throttle up. I also like the way it stays put where I leave it, no matter the condition of the seas. Roy
swist	posted 06-13-2006 10:19 AM ET (US) I took the cover off. There are no adjustment screws anywhere - the are 4 screws holding the mounting frame to the console, and then there are two long bolts w/locknuts holding the actual control unit to the mounting frame. One side of the unit has a plastic cover but to take that off, the unit would have to be completely pulled free of the console, and there is not enough cable slack to even come close. They couldn't have you go through all that for a tension adjustment anyway. There is a sticker on the plastic side cover with various mounting and lubricating instuctions but nothing about tension adjustments. ????
Buckda	posted 06-13-2006 10:24 AM ET (US) The tension adjustment is under the engine cowling. I suspect this is where your resistance is coming from.
swist	posted 06-13-2006 10:30 AM ET (US) Where there's two different opinions on where it is. Exactly where is the adjustment? Thanks Jim
swist	posted 06-13-2006 12:39 PM ET (US) And the winner is... None of the above! I finally found the instructions for the control (model 4501) and the engine shop manual. There is no adjustment in the engine. There is an adjustment in the control, BUT it's located a couple of inches below the handle shaft - that means it is inside the console, but just barely. I could just get to it by squeezing a small 11/32 open end wrench between the control housing and the cutout in the console. If the cutout hole had been a little tighter it would have been impossible without removing the control. AND guess what, the control installation manual says to adjust the tension BEFORE mounting the control. The way they designed it, you don't really have any alternative, but what kind of sense does that make? Anyway I loosened it and it helped a little but not as much as I would like - there just seems to be a lot of inherent stiffness in the system. Shifting is not easy either - you have to kind of jerk the throttle in and out of neutral. (There are other threads in this forum that confirm this). I want my Yamaha shifter back!!! Jim
sosmerc	posted 06-13-2006 03:46 PM ET (US) No, what you REALLY want is DTS!!!:)
whaler16	posted 08-06-2006 11:47 PM ET (US) The washer behind the pivot on the block builds up rust. Put a stainless steel washer in place of the original and grease it regurly. I had the same problem.