F225 shift adjustment

[CelebrityFishHawk]

Looking to see if anyone else has had some of the same shifting issues with 2005 era Yamaha F225.

currently the motor shift fine by hand with the cable disconnected. Also has very free movement from the cable and binnacle. The issue seems to be that the binnacle doesn’t have enough travel to ensure a solid shift into forward and reverse. It shifts perfect into forward and not well into reverse until it warms up a bit. And if I even give the cable one more turn then it does not go into forward so I know that the cable adjustment is in the sweet spot, but to me it seems like the binnicle just does not move the cable with enough travel on each direction when you look at travel on the leg where the cable attaches.

Wondering if anyone else has had this happened or had any experience with a binnacle not having enough travel for a shift assembly.

 

[ship happens]

9 times out of 10 it's the clutch dog and gear worn out. Either from improper or misuse, or a bad cable adjustment from the start.

1 time out of 10 the cable is stretched. Very rare

Also depending on your binnicle you may have different positions for the lever throw. Don't think there is with oem yamaha binnicles though


How far out is it? If you remove the cable from the linkage, put the shift in dead neutral, adjust the cable.. do you hear ticking when trying to put it in reverse ?

 

[CelebrityFishHawk]

9 times out of 10 it's the clutch dog and gear worn out. Either from improper or misuse, or a bad cable adjustment from the start.

1 time out of 10 the cable is stretched. Very rare

Also depending on your binnicle you may have different positions for the lever throw. Don't think there is with oem yamaha binnicles though


How far out is it? If you remove the cable from the linkage, put the shift in dead neutral, adjust the cable.. do you hear ticking when trying to put it in reverse ?

Thanks so much for the reply.
Yes the binnacle unit does have a few adjustment holes and it’s currently in the longest throw position. There are three holes that it can go in.

I’d say it’s less than an 1/8th inch from being where I would like it. If I set it up in neutral it will engage forward really nice and then it won’t grab reverse (will almost grab reverse but yes it will grind) if I really throw it into reverse fast it will grab as well and hold into the reverse no problem but you have to move it in really fast. When it’s cold it just wants to grind for reverse, once warmed up it grabs better.
When I shift it by hand running without the cable attached it is kinda stiff to move but moveable by hand and goes in and out of gear with sold engagement but that is also due to being able to move the shift point further than the cable will allow by only about 1/8th inch.

maybe inspecting that clutch dog is the key, but I would assume that it wouldn’t engage so nicely by hand if the clutch dogs were worn?

if I have the cable hooked up to shift point on the engine, and just press my finger on it while a friend moves the binnacle to assist it just that little bit then it hammers sold into either gear.
Was tempted to modify my binnacle for the extra throw, but also know that it is not great to modify those too much.

 

[ship happens]

What control box is it?

I'd say your looking at a gearcase rebuild

 

[CelebrityFishHawk]

What control box is it?

I'd say your looking at a gearcase rebuild

I’ll have to post a picture of it.
It’s is a dual binnacle unit for the main and kicker. From google search looks identical to a Volvo penta unit but has trim buttons on the levers and the base of the unit.

For inspecting the Lower unit it would be the clutch dog and forward and reverse gears to pre order with some seals of course?

 

[ship happens]

Take a picture of exactly what you have in your boat and I'll try and help you out

 

[CelebrityFishHawk]

Take a picture of exactly what you have in your boat and I'll try and help you out

I’ll grab a few pictures tomorrow when I’m at the boat! Don’t have many photos of the controls with me haha
That’s the best I got.

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

X2 on shift dog clutch

 

[ship happens]

if the clutch dog is rounded off, so will the gear where the dog engages. Good old yamaha hub removal. Stupid hub nut never ever comes off, so you'll have to drill it out and replace it. Need the tool to properly reinstall the stupid thing. Could get away with doing it with an aluminum punch. Guaranteed the worst cases to get apart for intermediate or beginners. Expensive gear set

 

[CelebrityFishHawk]

if the clutch dog is rounded off, so will the gear where the dog engages. Good old yamaha hub removal. Stupid hub nut never ever comes off, so you'll have to drill it out and replace it. Need the tool to properly reinstall the stupid thing. Could get away with doing it with an aluminum punch. Guaranteed the worst cases to get apart for intermediate or beginners. Expensive gear set

Take a picture of exactly what you have in your boat and I'll try and help you out

There is the exact unit on my boat. Couldn’t find any tags for model unfortunately.

i will try to open up that leg next week and try to document it well and upload some photos if other people are having similar issues. Curious to see the condition of those dogs. As the lack of travel and ease of shifting by hand make me wonder!
Thanks team!

 

[ship happens]

Those are nice controls

 

[CelebrityFishHawk]

Those are nice controls

Wouldn’t have anything to do with the distance the control is actuating the cable in your experience?

pretty safe to say it must be lower unit inspection time?

I am a mechanic by trade but not a marine mechanic and this is our first boat so im still learning the marine aspect of it but concepts seem to be the same with most things so far

 

[ship happens]

Think those are telflex controls. I would bet that it's the gear and dog

 

[CelebrityFishHawk]

Little update, after having an experienced friend with yamaha outboards we were looking at it and the flex on that shift rod from where the control cable hook to under the powerhead you can see the rod flex quite a bit and now it is hard to shift by hand. Like so hard that I was able to do it by hand before but now its really stiff. Leading to believe that the stiff shift shaft bushing must be what is causing the rest of the components all to each flex a little adding up to that 3/8th extra throw that is needed to shift in fully into gear.

I may try hammering it with a penetrant to see if it loosens up, but I am thinking the power head will need to be removed to access the shift shaft and really clean it up and make sure it is really free moving.

Upon some research removing the powerhead might be the way to go as the time it takes to pull is is probably less than having to try to work in such a small space under the electrical once the intakes are removed.

Has anyone ran into this before?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[BigBird007]

Before you pull the power head try removing the shift detent ball. It’s the 13mm head at the top of the shift shaft.

The spring inside them gets seized up and makes shifting hard.

 

[doug78]

If you end removing the powerhead....good time to update the exhaust if it hasn't been done.

 

[BigBird007]

If you end removing the powerhead....good time to update the exhaust if it hasn't been done.

I agree but unfortunately you can’t get the parts to do it. The update kit is on a national back order. I have been waiting two months for mine.