Stiff Gear Shift

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Stiff Gear Shift

Postby MickMitch » Thu Mar 27, 2014 1:58 pm

I have a 2006 Honda BF5 that came with the boat. Unfortunately, the gear shift lever is extremely stiff to operate and needs two hands. I had the engine serviced at my local Honda service agent when I first got it and the guy who did the job said that the stiffness would wear off,but if anything it has got worse (he obviously didn't know what he was doing).
Has anyone else ever come across this problem?
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Postby Dennis » Thu Mar 27, 2014 5:36 pm

Hello Mick

It should not be stiff.

I also have a BF5, owned for five years from new. Gear shift is exactly as it was when the engine was new, neither stiffer or slacker. It is easily moved by one hand with little effort.

I would be complaining to the service agent.
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Postby Black Sheep » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:08 pm

I fully agree. I owned a BF5 in my previous boat for 11 years and never had to operate the lever with more than one hand.
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Postby erbster » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:55 pm

I have the same engine and likewise no trouble in shifting gear (easy shifting is essential when manoeuvring in close quarters).
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I've got a stiff one!

Postby Chris Wicks » Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:47 am

Yep, my 5 HP Honda (2004) has had a stiff gear lever that got stiffer within a season or two of use. I could not find a solution and last year took it to a main agent for service and to look at this problem. He took the engine out freed it up and said it was fine. As we were talking in Greek I didn't get too technical. Anyway it is not much better... However I made a gear lever extension from some old stainless steel tube years ago and it works a treat. I can stand on the cockpit seat when manoeuvring at close quarters and operate the gear lever with my foot. It really is excellent. Look at my Kaliope albums and you will see pics of it. So don't worry about a little stiffness it comes with age.....
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Postby Greybeard » Fri Mar 28, 2014 5:36 pm

Chris Wicks wrote:So don't worry about a little stiffness it comes with age.....


If only :rolleyes:

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Postby MickMitch » Tue Apr 29, 2014 12:57 pm

Chris
Where do I find your Kaliope photo albums?
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Postby Greybeard » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:29 pm

MickMitch wrote:Chris
Where do I find your Kaliope photo albums?


In the toolbar across the top, click on 'Community' and select 'Pictures and albums'. It took me a while to find 'em too :rolleyes:

or
http://www.capecutter19association.org/forum/album.php?albumid=5


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Finally Fixed

Postby MickMitch » Tue Aug 19, 2014 5:54 pm

Just to close out this thread, I had the problem fixed by Trident Marine at Gateshead and it is now working perfectly. Apparently the linkage was seized.

Many thanks to all who offered advice.
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Gear lever linkage Honda BF5

Postby Chris Wicks » Mon Dec 01, 2014 5:33 pm

See photos attached

Having suffered from the stiff gear linkage problem for years and having lived with it by use of a large lever extension..... It really is time to sort it out finally... My Greek Honda dealer said they had removed the engine to free up the linkage, but the problem was not solved. Recently in Chichester I called at a workshop at Dell Quay boat yard where a nice guy fixes outboards... How great it is to talk technical in English!

The engine is 10 years old, I can change an impeller so why not fix the linkage... If the engine was in UK it would have been at Dell Quay by now, but of course it's in Greece... So removing the engine is easy. 8 bolts on the underside of the lower engine casing. Then free up any accessories that prevent the engine lifting out. The starter cord mechanism, the cables and wires... Easy .....

I also removed the lower leg gear housing disconnecting the lower gear lever shaft through the inspection / access rubber grommet..

Finally give the engine a bit of side to side pressure and break the seal of the engine to lower casing gasket.... Then you will get to where I am in the first picture. Lower casing and shaft casing remain. You can now see the shaft of the gear shift lever goes through a casting and enters the top of the shaft casing. There it is connected to the gear lever rods by a single bolt and locking washer (with bent up tabs)...

Remove the bolt so the shaft can be withdraw from the casing.... However first remove the lower casing... 4 bolts so the gear lever shaft can be withdrawn.

PROBLEM.... The shaft is likely to be very stiff and therefore difficult to withdraw. It was but I did it eventually using my lever extension to move the shaft fore and aft whilst pulling outwards...

Finally when extracted you realise it is a simple stainless steel shaft. It has a nylon bush at the inner and outer ends that inserts into the casting. Between the nylon bushes is a sleeve. A black material. The problem was a build up of black gunge on the shaft making it very stiff in the casting sleeve. I scraped off the gunge and cleaned the shaft and nylon bushes with acetone. I could not shift the black sleeve but cleaned it with an acetone soaked rag. Then I used fine emery on the S/S shaft giving it a good emery polishing.... I did the same with the nylon bushes and attempted the same inside the black sleeve. Then cleaned it all again in acetone, popped it all back together and guess what.... It moves easily just as it should... FANTASTIC!

However now I've got to put it all back together.... I have the whole winter to do it... and if I get stuck I will go to my Honda dealer in Volos with a bag of bits and say could you put this back together and service it for me!

Cheers

Chris
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