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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Tohatsu/Nissan 9.8 outboards reverse lock

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/16/2008 : 07:56:55

I'm having trouble keeping our new Nissan 9.8 o/b from swinging up in reverse gear. Isn't there supposed to be a mechanism to lock the tilt down when you shift into reverse? The owner's manual is of no help.
At the tilt adjustment bar level, there is a bow-shaped piece in front of the vertical rod that is attached to the shifter. There is a small plastic block attached to the rod which lifts the bow when you shift into forward, and that apparently releases the tilt lock so the motor could tilt if it hit something while going forward. However, when I shift into neutral or reverse, the bow remains in the up position, and, if I want to lock the tilt for reverse, I have to manually reach back and push the bow down. Only then does the motor not jump up. does anyone else with these engines have this problem? I'm going to call outboardsonline, but I thought I would check here too.

DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2008 : 08:01:04

Might you be missing a little spring?

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farrison
Navigator

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USA
166 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2008 : 10:13:38

This may also be a cleaning/lubrication issue. My owners manual on my '94 Mercury suggests periodic cleaning and greasing of those mechanisms that lock the motor in the different tilt-up and shallow drive positions. Since the salt spray on our lake deposits salt on everything, and the bugs, spiders and spider webs stick in the grease, this is something I check every spring (I did it two weeks ago, splash on the 26th!). I clean off the old grease and gunk and re-grease to keep all those little parts moving. I have seen the Nissan's owners manual, and it doesn't say much about that kind of maintenance, but a little WD40 on the pivot points of that little bow couldn't hurt.

Paul

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Don B
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2008 : 10:44:56

Hi David, I had a similar problem with my new Tohatsu 9.8. Our motors may be similar so check out pages 22 and 27 of this manual:

http://www.tohatsu.com/tech_info/own_man_pdfs/Toh_MFS8A_MFS98A.pdf

When my boat was in the water it appeared my trim angle was good. Once my boat was on the hard, I realized that it was not angled correctly.By moving the thrust rod one space, the angle of the motor looked perfect. I have not had the problem again since back in the water. I can only guess that the incorrect angle of the motor was not allowing the reverse lock to fully engage. As the others suggested, I would also make sure the spring action of the mechanism is working correctly. Lastly, it doesn't show in the manual but there is a little box looking thing on the shaft. This is an adjustment and allows you to regulate the reverse lock. Please check with onlineoutboards before making this adjustment. Good luck.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2008 : 14:16:19

The motor is brand new. Just talked to the rep at onlineoutboards. There is no spring. It may just be sticking and I need to degunk it. The rep said the problem they get calls on is more often the reverse situation, that it won't disengage. So, I've got to look for something else. Meanwhile, I'll just use a stick to push it down.

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sweetlou
1st Mate

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53 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2008 : 10:11:14

Hello David-

I am actually having this same issue with the Tohatsu starting to swing up out of the water when in reverse. Did you end up resolving the problem?

On a somewhat related note I am also having quite a time swinging the motor up once underway. It seems as though it shouldn't be as exciting an exercise as hanging a foot and a half over the transome, grabbing the top of outboard with one hand and the tilt lock lever with the second. Any tips?

Thanks,
Eddie

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2008 : 11:36:50

I have resolved the tilt-up-in-reverse issue by manually pushing down the curved metal piece (mentioned above in my original question) after shifting into reverse at idle and then slowly giving it some throttle. So far that's working.
As for swinging the motor up, the Nissan 9.8 has 2 tilt positions. The first is the shallow water position, a little bit tricky to set, which I use when the boat is back in the slip. It requires a bit of back-and-forth motion when tilting the motor forward and holding/shifting the tilt lock lever. The second position is all the way up, which I use while sailing. The easiest way I have found to tilt the motor is to hold on to the mount bracket with my left hand while pulling on the motor holding the grip at the back of the cover with my right hand. Once it is tilted I can move my left hand to the tilt lever to work it. I'm not sure there is a real easy way to do it.
One other thing, in the full up position, the motor will want to swing/turn to one side. Make sure it swings handle/tiller/throttle down, not up.

Edited by - dmpilc on 08/31/2008 11:39:36

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2008 : 11:49:15

David,
I had the same problem with mine and it seemed to take a bit more force when shifting into reverse for the locking bow to engage the pin. I played with it for a while and even contemplated adjusting the little plastic joining thingy, but once I got the engine setting level by adjusting the position of the rod, that seems to have cured it. I have to back all the way down my fairway, so it's important that the reverse lock works properly, so far it's been a non-event.

As far as working the tilt lever, what a pain, huh? Frank (AADiver) has come up with a clever bungee affair that lets him automatically engage the lever when he tilts up, and he's also rigged a trip cord that disengages it when he wants to tilt down. I plan to rig this today when I go down to the boat. I don't like having to lean out so far to work that little lever. My old Johnson Sailmaster had a locking lever on the front of the engine, and the tilt mechanism was automatic, you tilted it up, it stayed tilted, to release, you tilted it higher, which disengaged it, and then you let it down. Easy. I wish Tohatsu had a similar mechanism.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.