Throttle dead zone

Abbeysdad · 07-10-09, 04:28 PM

Newbie question #329.
The throttle has a button to push so the throttle can be advanced w/o putting it in gear. So I did to start, but later I came to realize that the throttle basically does nothing from center until about the 3/4 full position - then we start getting more gas.

Is this throttle 'dead zone' normal or should something be adjusted?

(not looking for a hair trigger-just seems a lot of movement with nothing happening).

Abbeysdad · 07-11-09, 08:54 AM

Sure could use some feedback here.

1FASTLASER · 07-11-09, 09:12 AM

If your referring to that "deadzone" when you push the button so that the motor is in gear YES. That feature is so you can warm the engine up on a cold start.

Abbeysdad · 07-11-09, 09:29 AM

NO - I mean when I take it out of neutral and push the throttle forward, nothing happens until I get to about the 3/4 full throttle position, then it starts getting more gas.

(When I first started it, I pushed the button and pushed the throttle to just shy of the 3/4 full throttle position - then later realized that this does nothing because of this 'dead zone' where nothing happens between neutral and 3/4 full.

1FASTLASER · 07-11-09, 09:48 AM

Ok I just read another post about ur bote. This dead zone you are referring to is in all rigs with a side console be it a flush mount or a hidden one. What is happening is the slack in the cables and the movement in the box and at the motor is all coming together. DONT be alarmed. As long as your reaching max rpms or relatively close and the boat is performing correctly you are ok. Max rpms for that engine are from 5500 to 6000.

Abbeysdad · 07-11-09, 11:37 AM

Thank-you for the reply - good to know nothing is 'wrong' - but it sure seems strange to me to have so much travel in the throttle before anything happens.

1FASTLASER · 07-12-09, 05:32 AM

You could eliminate "SOME"of the travel but you really need to know what your doing. Get the linkages out of sync with each other and then you have a motor getting to much fuel and not enough spark timing if you get them oputta sync......get the picture.

nofearengineer · 07-12-09, 12:36 PM

Another reason to have a little bit of a "dead zone" as you call it, is that you are not really supposed to "slide" from neutral into gear. It should be a bit of a firm, quick shift. If the engine started getting more gas the second it clicked into gear, it might be a bit of a herky-jerky experience.

Abbeysdad · 07-13-09, 12:00 PM

I was just surprised to learn how far forward I had to push the throttle before anything happens....
I read the Merc manual and to start, I was supposed to push the button in and advance the throttle 1/4 of the way forward. It did not want to start and I was afraid it wasn't going to. Not sure how long since it last ran - anyway, later I realized that the forward position I was at was as if I hadn't pushed forward at all. I'll advance further for starting as necessary, being prepared to throttle back.

07-10-09, 04:28 PM	#1
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Throttle dead zone Newbie question #329. The throttle has a button to push so the throttle can be advanced w/o putting it in gear. So I did to start, but later I came to realize that the throttle basically does nothing from center until about the 3/4 full position - then we start getting more gas. Is this throttle 'dead zone' normal or should something be adjusted? (not looking for a hair trigger-just seems a lot of movement with nothing happening).

07-11-09, 09:48 AM	#5
1FASTLASER BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: crossett,arkansas Posts: 2,777	Ok I just read another post about ur bote. This dead zone you are referring to is in all rigs with a side console be it a flush mount or a hidden one. What is happening is the slack in the cables and the movement in the box and at the motor is all coming together. DONT be alarmed. As long as your reaching max rpms or relatively close and the boat is performing correctly you are ok. Max rpms for that engine are from 5500 to 6000. __________________ Laser's rule with Merc's doing the pushing..........KEEP THE WETSIDE DOWN AND THE DRY SIDE UP!!!!!!

07-12-09, 05:32 AM	#7
1FASTLASER BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: crossett,arkansas Posts: 2,777	You could eliminate "SOME"of the travel but you really need to know what your doing. Get the linkages out of sync with each other and then you have a motor getting to much fuel and not enough spark timing if you get them oputta sync......get the picture. __________________ Laser's rule with Merc's doing the pushing..........KEEP THE WETSIDE DOWN AND THE DRY SIDE UP!!!!!!

07-12-09, 12:36 PM	#8
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Another reason to have a little bit of a "dead zone" as you call it, is that you are not really supposed to "slide" from neutral into gear. It should be a bit of a firm, quick shift. If the engine started getting more gas the second it clicked into gear, it might be a bit of a herky-jerky experience. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

07-11-09, 08:54 AM	#2
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Sure could use some feedback here.

07-11-09, 09:12 AM	#3
1FASTLASER BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: crossett,arkansas Posts: 2,777	If your referring to that "deadzone" when you push the button so that the motor is in gear YES. That feature is so you can warm the engine up on a cold start. __________________ Laser's rule with Merc's doing the pushing..........KEEP THE WETSIDE DOWN AND THE DRY SIDE UP!!!!!!

07-11-09, 09:29 AM	#4
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	NO - I mean when I take it out of neutral and push the throttle forward, nothing happens until I get to about the 3/4 full throttle position, then it starts getting more gas. (When I first started it, I pushed the button and pushed the throttle to just shy of the 3/4 full throttle position - then later realized that this does nothing because of this 'dead zone' where nothing happens between neutral and 3/4 full.

07-11-09, 11:37 AM	#6
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Thank-you for the reply - good to know nothing is 'wrong' - but it sure seems strange to me to have so much travel in the throttle before anything happens.

07-13-09, 12:00 PM	#9
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	I was just surprised to learn how far forward I had to push the throttle before anything happens.... I read the Merc manual and to start, I was supposed to push the button in and advance the throttle 1/4 of the way forward. It did not want to start and I was afraid it wasn't going to. Not sure how long since it last ran - anyway, later I realized that the forward position I was at was as if I hadn't pushed forward at all. I'll advance further for starting as necessary, being prepared to throttle back.

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