Evinrude won't stay in reverse

[sambrent18]

Hi,
I've got an 85 evinrude 30 hp outboard that has been converted to a jet motor. When I bought the motor it had the throttle cable and forward and reverse cable with the control box. I'm wanting to take all that off for now and use it as a tiller handle but when I unhook the shift cable from the shifter on the side it wont stay in reverse. Stays in forward fine but I have'nt ran it on the water yet either so who knows. I was wondering if when you convert an outboard to use with throttle and shift cables is there something that might have been taken off. I'm pretty mechanical about stuff just never fooled with anything like this. I've got it on a 14 foot jon boat and dont have alot of room for stuff and dont have any way to steer it other than with the tiller handle. I plan on converting it to stick steer down the road just wanting to get it goin for now. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

model number is E30TECOA

Thanks

 

[blunt]

I think you problem maybe because its been converted to a jet. With a prop motor the shift rod inside the motor locks into forward/neutral/reverse in the lower unit. With the jet pump the shift rod is no longer used and that shifter on the side is now just connected to the linkage going down on the outside of the motor to the reverse gate. The cable from your control box was more than likely keeping the tension on the reverse gate.

I also have 85 evinrude that's been converted to a jet and mine is a tiller. The linkage on that connects the shifter to the reverse gate has to be adjusted just right in order for it to stay locked in reverse. For a long time I had to keep my hand on the shifter if i wanted to use reverse.. I snapped a few pictures and if yours looks like mine then it should be possible by adjusting that rod. but you may have a newer pump with a different linkage all together.

 

[sambrent18]

Yep thats it, I really appreciate the pictures, that explains everything. Mine just has a piece of rod with two 90 bends in it then held on with carter keys. I need to get me some threaded rod and i bet that would fix my problem. I would be able to adjust it then. Hey I really do appreciate it