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Author Topic:   Mercury 115 Neutral Gear Problem

lancer43 posted 05-27-2014 08:27 PM ET (US)
Anyone who has the Mercury 115 or similar find it hard to find neutral? I have read back in 2006 there were problems with this motor. Were they corrected?
Ferdinando posted 05-27-2014 08:55 PM ET (US)
That was the main reason I got rid of that engine on my 2008 190. Getting into neutral was a pain in the ass. I almost pulled my wife off the dock 2 or 3 times due to not finding -N-. I took it back to the dealer and we all know the answer, nothing is wrong with it!
I just got fed up sold the motor and bought an E-TEC 150, the best investment I ever made. The boat flies and not one problem ever and this engine is going on five years.
Fred
fkrumbe posted 05-28-2014 09:14 AM ET (US)
Have been using my 190 Montauk with Mercury 115 since 2007. No problems finding neutral. Engine has provided good, dependable service.
swist posted 05-28-2014 01:18 PM ET (US)
Have a 170 Montauk w/Merc 90m (same basic engine and controls). Neutral is very vague. There are no detents or clicks when going in and out. Took a while to get used to it, still not thrilled but I usually manage to to grind gears or hit reverse. Usually.
Jeff posted 05-28-2014 01:47 PM ET (US)
The problems at hand sounds like it is not a factor of motor itself, but a poorly designed control box. I would imagine a new Morse Binnacle would take care of it. Maybe some new Cables too.
http://www.marineengineparts.com/steering-and-controls/control-boxes/ teleflex-morse-binnacle.html
fishinchips posted 05-29-2014 12:22 AM ET (US)
Had a 2003 - 170 montauk with merc 90hp 4 stroke, Now have a 2007 - 190 montauk with a merc 115hp 4 stroke. They both use the same binnacle. Both are vague. Sometimes you miss it. Doesn't have that good of a detent.
My old montauk 1996 17 montauk with a Johnson 90hp, had a great binnacle. You can really feel that detent in neutral. No questions about your in neutral.
Ken
swist posted 05-31-2014 08:44 AM ET (US)
I have thought of replacing the control, but the Morse ones in that link provided by Jeff are not cheap, even with the listed discounts.
Another issue is the interchangeability with the existing control - are the terminations of engine control cables some sort of standard such that the control box can be easily swapped for another?
I would also assume that the cutout and mounting hole pattern are probably different, which could further make a retrofit difficult.
sosmerc posted 05-31-2014 08:23 PM ET (US)
Just FYI.....most of the Mercury binnacle control boxes have a way to increase the detent pressure with an adjustment screw. ALSO.....the later model FourStroke Mercs have an additional neutral detent adjustment on the engine itself.
But without your engine serial number or a picture of your control box, I can't give you more specific information.

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Author	Topic: Mercury 115 Neutral Gear Problem
lancer43	posted 05-27-2014 08:27 PM ET (US) Anyone who has the Mercury 115 or similar find it hard to find neutral? I have read back in 2006 there were problems with this motor. Were they corrected?
Ferdinando	posted 05-27-2014 08:55 PM ET (US) That was the main reason I got rid of that engine on my 2008 190. Getting into neutral was a pain in the ass. I almost pulled my wife off the dock 2 or 3 times due to not finding -N-. I took it back to the dealer and we all know the answer, nothing is wrong with it! I just got fed up sold the motor and bought an E-TEC 150, the best investment I ever made. The boat flies and not one problem ever and this engine is going on five years. Fred
fkrumbe	posted 05-28-2014 09:14 AM ET (US) Have been using my 190 Montauk with Mercury 115 since 2007. No problems finding neutral. Engine has provided good, dependable service.
swist	posted 05-28-2014 01:18 PM ET (US) Have a 170 Montauk w/Merc 90m (same basic engine and controls). Neutral is very vague. There are no detents or clicks when going in and out. Took a while to get used to it, still not thrilled but I usually manage to to grind gears or hit reverse. Usually.
Jeff	posted 05-28-2014 01:47 PM ET (US) The problems at hand sounds like it is not a factor of motor itself, but a poorly designed control box. I would imagine a new Morse Binnacle would take care of it. Maybe some new Cables too. http://www.marineengineparts.com/steering-and-controls/control-boxes/ teleflex-morse-binnacle.html
fishinchips	posted 05-29-2014 12:22 AM ET (US) Had a 2003 - 170 montauk with merc 90hp 4 stroke, Now have a 2007 - 190 montauk with a merc 115hp 4 stroke. They both use the same binnacle. Both are vague. Sometimes you miss it. Doesn't have that good of a detent. My old montauk 1996 17 montauk with a Johnson 90hp, had a great binnacle. You can really feel that detent in neutral. No questions about your in neutral. Ken
swist	posted 05-31-2014 08:44 AM ET (US) I have thought of replacing the control, but the Morse ones in that link provided by Jeff are not cheap, even with the listed discounts. Another issue is the interchangeability with the existing control - are the terminations of engine control cables some sort of standard such that the control box can be easily swapped for another? I would also assume that the cutout and mounting hole pattern are probably different, which could further make a retrofit difficult.
sosmerc	posted 05-31-2014 08:23 PM ET (US) Just FYI.....most of the Mercury binnacle control boxes have a way to increase the detent pressure with an adjustment screw. ALSO.....the later model FourStroke Mercs have an additional neutral detent adjustment on the engine itself. But without your engine serial number or a picture of your control box, I can't give you more specific information.