Re: New Old Boat, Motor, Trailer issues

[Don]

quote t2stroke:

For me, the most prominent symptom of broken mounts (front mount at least) is when you run the motor and accelerate the motor in forward gear it will die out. After a little study you will find each time the choke knob is pulled out. The powerhead rears back and the knob is pulled out choking the engine. Might not be something you would expect, but that is a sure sign of broken front mount.

Dan in TN

Another symptom of broken mounts is often misdiagnosed causing frustration and un-needed work.
The customer complains the engine jumps out of gear when accelerated. The technician pops the engine in the tank, and indeed it does jump out of gear when accelerated, he then tears the gearcase apart only to find little/no wear on the clutch dog/gear lugs.
But, what is really happening is that the broken mounts allow the powerhead to slip back in the cowl which pulls the shift linkage into neutral. There is a difference between the symptom here and the usual "jumping out of gear" symptom.
We are used to feeling the clunk/bang when the clutch dog lugs jump over the gear lugs, but the engine usually continues along in forward gear. But, when the broken mounts pull on the 9.5hp shift linkage, the engine pops out of gear and stays in neutral!
I remember a senior technician at my first job pointing this out to me, and somehow I have remembered his important message all these years!