# rotating handle does not push forward throttle to 100%



## StephenB (3 mo ago)

Hi, i have a 1998 mercury 9.9hp outboard 2 stroke that does not let me get the throttle to 100% of its power. See video. When i take the cowl off, I can see that when rotating the handle, the throttle is not being pushed very far. but reverse i can see it goes much further. 

Any ideas on what I can do?

outboard throttle issue


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

What’s the history of this outboard? Did it run fine for you and then you or someone worked on it and now it doesn’t operate or what?


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Any slip in the linkage?


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## Gonz (Apr 29, 2021)

I had a very similar situation on a 2007 Yamaha 15hp 2 stroke. Mine wouldn’t let me give it more than about 1/3 of the throttle before it felt like it would hit the stop. It took me a while but I found a extra linkage that shifts from neutral into gear was broken. It still allowed me to shift into gear but it the one that was broken went to a cable that attached to the magneto. 

I believe it’s a part of the safety circuit to prevent you from 1) starting the outboard in gear and 2) prevent you from over revving the engine in neutral. I removed the small cable assembly and manually pushed it (where the throttle linkage was supposed to go) into a setting to allow full throttle. Worked great afterwards, but it started it gear too. Hope this helps but I might have some photos if you need.


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## Mike Haydon (Dec 19, 2019)

I would try adjusting the cables


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## StephenB (3 mo ago)

Mike Haydon said:


> I would try adjusting the cables


Thanks guys. @Mike Haydon when you say adjusting cables, which cables specifically? Here is a video where i show the cables I'm talking about.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> What’s the history of this outboard? Did it run fine for you and then you or someone worked on it and now it doesn’t operate or what?


 Can you answer this so I can maybe help?


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## StephenB (3 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Can you answer this so I can maybe help?


I have never seen it run at full throttle. 

I bought the motor on facebook market place 3 weeks ago. The seller ran it for me in the trash can full of water, but you really can't test the higher speeds like that. I put it in my lake for first time and experienced the problem then. 

I will never buy a motor again without taking off the cowl and really watching for things like this. 

I asked the seller about this, they said:


> The throttle is sticking if you open up the motor and look you can’t actually see where it gets stuck, I just put some grease on it and it loosened up, if you take the cowling off you can press it the throttle more forward, you’ll see where it gets stuck


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Here you go, the 15hp is basically the same outboard just a different carb and spacer plate. The rest is the same. This is your exact issue. 






15hp mercury throttle travel issues


Having issues with getting full throttle on my 2006 mercury 2 stoke with the tiller shift setup.. Seems as though someone has messed with the linkage and put something on the wrong way around somewhere? For It allows full throttle in reverse and only around 1/4 in forward?! Like it's working the...



www.boatracingfacts.com


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## StephenB (3 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Here you go, the 15hp is basically the same outboard just a different carb and spacer plate. The rest is the same. This is your exact issue.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice find. So when he says the solutions was:


> the part in the tiller that the cable wraps around had broken and was pulling the outer cable instead of the inner


Which part is he talking about? This part?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Pop your cowling and look at it. That’s the only part that it could be. See if anything looks broken. The best way to troubleshoot is hands on. With this link I bet you can figure it out.


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## StephenB (3 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Pop your cowling and look at it. That’s the only part that it could be. See if anything looks broken. The best way to troubleshoot is hands on. With this link I bet you can figure it out.


Ok so I recorded one last video to see if you guys can help me dial this in. I pulled off the cowl and just looked at everything closely, no smoking gun yet.

i feel like it’s either the pulley or the wire is stretched. If it’s the wire, do I have to replace or where do I tighten?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I’m pretty sure you need to adjust those cable nuts the opposite way that you did to get that slack out. Look in the other video and see where his are set.


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## StephenB (3 mo ago)

Ok update: When i lift the throttle handle into the back facing direction (essentially when i flip the handle up and out of the way) it then allows me to get 100% of the forward throttle... essentially it fixes the issue. BUT when i flip the handle back into the operating position, the issue comes back. 

Seems like the cable / wires do get a little tighter when its flipped backward. So, thinking through what i can do about this. 

I have adjusted the nuts both directions and its helps but not enough. I'm wondering if the cable is just stretched over time and needs to be replaced entirely?


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