engine controls?

[bayman]

I have a 1980 Manatee with a 115 hp Mercury. I need to know how to work the controls. I have a single lever dual function control box. On the bottom of the handle is a button that I push in and push the throttle forward so I can start the engine. What I need to know is when I bring it back to center and then push forward to put it in gear what do I do next to operate the throttle after it is in gear. There is a button at the top of the control handle that you squeeze with your hand but not sure what it is for. I am used to using a dual lever box. One for throttle and one for shifting.
Can someone run me through the procedure of starting and then shifting it in gear and then applying throttle?

 

[john lamon]

The button that you squeeze is just so it will release from neutral, same idea as most auto trans shifters in cars.

the button on the bottom of the lever will allow you to operate your throttle with it in neutral.

To start push the button in and push the lever forward, it will move forward quite easily and stop, this is the start of your fast idle, for more rpm simply push the lever forward, you may have to apply quite a bit of pressure to do this depending on what kind of shape the cable is in.

once the motor is good and warm pull the lever back to neutral position and push it forward into gear, then your ready to go, just push the lever forward for more throttle.

if you find the tension on the throttle is too tight or to loose there is a adjustment screw on the front of the control box, clockwise to tighten or counter clockwise to loosen.

clear as mud right?

feel free to ask if you have any more ?'s

 

[bayman]

So reverse is the same? Pull it back to neutral and pull back into reverse and then push forward to apply throttle?

 

[john lamon]

Yep, pull it back into reverse and for throttle just keep going back

 

[bayman]

Ok thanks much but one thing is not clear to me. The button at the top of the lever you said, "The button that you squeeze it just so it will release from neutral, same idea as most auto trans shifters in cars". Why would I want to release it from neutral and when would I want to do that? Doesn't pushing the button on the bottom of the control do the same thing? Do I squeeze the button at the top while pushing forward or backward to put it in gear and then release it to apply throttle?
Do not mean to keep bothering you, just want to be sure I have it right so I will not damage any thing.

 

[john lamon]

no problem, don't worry about bothering anyone, without squeezing the button on the handle you won't be able to move the lever out of neutral to either use the fast idle or put it in gear.

Imagine your helping your 10 year old put on water ski's and the boat is idling in neutral, while your not paying attention your 4 year old jumps in the driver seat and try's to push the lever forward into gear, without squeezing the button on the handle it won't move out of gear, so it is kind of just a safety on the lever.

once you squeeze the button to release the shifter from neutral to go into either forward or reverse you don't need to touch the button again until you want to shift out of neutral again.