"Billgran" wrote in message
...

"handdancer" u34929@uwe wrote in message news:73741b16a0fcf@uwe...
trainfan1 wrote:
I just bought a boat with a 1998 Johnson outboard and we just launched
her.
The engine, when put into neutral, will operate as iif n reverse - no
matter
where the throttle handle is placed. Further, it won't shift into
forward at
all.


Broken shift cable.


cable (s) seem ok. I can see the levers moving when the motor top is
removed.





possibly the pin or clevis holding the gearcase shift rod to the linkage
under the carbs came apart.

Bill Grannis
service manager

My Evinrude manual warns not to shift gears unless the motor is running.
(exception is to shift back into neutral)
Wonder if that could be cause of problems?