I bought this motor from Stickfishangler in the classifieds forum.

The ad:

Quote:
I have up for sale a 81 Suzuki DT65 2 cycle outboard motor.
It runs good and has clear title in my name.
The engine compression tested 125 on one 135 on the other cylinder. It has newly rebuilt lower unit with water pump and controls with 10ft cables.It doesn't have tilt but has the button on controls. I re-fiberglassed top cover and gel coated black then sprayed the inside with bed-liner material for noise suppression.It has 20" shaft and good prop.

I bought it and a friend of the family that is a retired boat mechanic help me install it.

At the time, he didn't think to check the linkage adjustment and tried to walk me through it over the phone yesterday. He won't be able to actually help me solve the problem until this weekend.

I'd like to have several ideas for him to check out, just in case it's more than linkage adjustments.



I took the boat out yesterday for the first time. We launched and the boat cranked up just fine. I forgot to lock the motor down for reverse, but it was ok as long as I didn't rev it up too much. Good enough to get out into the water about 100 yards.

When I put it in forward, it revved up like it wasn't in gear. Tried it a few times with the same result.

So we trolling motor'd it back to the ramp.

Brought it home and put the water ears on it and called my bud.

He walked me through adjusting the carb linkage because of what I described to him. It seemed to work, with the ears on it went into gear both directions and revved up pretty good.

So back to the ramp today.

Launched the boat(only left it hooked to the trailer with a rope this time to prevent floating away).

Fired right up, put it in reverse and the water by the motor got violent like you would expect, but the boat didn't move or attempt to move at all.

Put it in forward to try and drive back onto the trailer.

The water didn't bubble, but I felt it shift, when I revved it up it revved really high like it was in neutral.

Messed with it for a few minutes, and at one point it felt like it surged forward with the gear shift in reverse.

I checked the linkages yesterday with the ears on and the propeller is turning the right way in boat directions.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

-John

Spun hub?
1st choise....The linkage is somewhat like an old screen door brace. Left and right threaded shaft into a coupling. Located just above the cavitation plate. If that is the style, your linkage if off, And on those engines, one turn is cridical...
2nd choise (different style)is the linkage inside an access cover on the mid section. It is as slip type clamp that clamps the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft. It is either out of adjustment or is just sliding on the shaft.....

It's the first choice linkage.

Out of the water it will shift fine and rev up

In the water you can feel it shift, but it won't move the boat

Where would the spun hub be located and what's it's purpose?

The hub is inside the propeller that is the link between engine output shaft and prop. They are pressed into the prop cylinder and when you spin one out they will not grip and wont propell your boat.

http://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/products/michiganwheelxhshubkit.aspx

The mechanic and I just took it to the boat ramp.

After adjusting the linkage and messing with it with the water ears, we headed to the lake.

The final decision is something wasn't put together right in the lower unit. Mechanic adjusted every which way possible, including pulling the cowl and disconnecting and operating the shifters by hand.

It will catch in gear and as soon as a load is put on it, it pops out and revs up like nothing is engaged.

I believe it's time to cut my losses and save up for a new boat before I snap

If the hub was spun would I be able to spin the prop by hand if it's in gear?

The prop locks up in gear and cannot be spun at all.

I just tinkered a little bit.

I disconnected all the linkage from the shift rod in the lower cover and manually shifted it, not running.

I got it in neutral with the remote before disconnecting the linkage because it was in gear.

In neutral, everything linkage disconnected, prop spun freely with no noise.

In forward and reverse, prop spun freely with no noise and I couldn't get it to lock back up in gear.

Still looking for ideas.

Thanks,
John

I just tilted the motor up, not 2 minutes after the last post.

When I tilted it up the propeller engaged like it was supposed to.

So tilted up, it locks and unlocks like it's supposed to

Down, it doesn't

What the heck is wrong with it and what do I need to do?

I was mistaken, it's not shifting in the up position. It's engaged, but won't shift out of gear.

Sounds like a linkage problem in the lower unit maybe the clutch dog is just floating free. Just moving back to engage due to gravity

The PN 15 broke in one I had and would cause the same symptoms as you are having.

With yours beiong an older model you may have to do some reachearch on the site below.

http://store.brownspoint.com/DT65/fig030-658587.asp

Alright, just attempted to pull the lower unit to start checking and troubleshooting.

Before I go too far and break something, how does it come out.

I've got it this far, but it won't move anymore

Did you pull the cotter pin under the carbs on the shift linkage?

On the starboard side of the lower cowling is a rubber grommet. Take the grommet out and behind that is a nut on a shaft. Loosen the nut and push the shaft to the port side of the engine. That will release a pin that is in the shift rod coming from the lower unit. Something like the Johnson/Evinrude style of shift rod/pin.