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2007 150 Sport, 60 h.p. Mercury Bigfoot

This engine is 8 years old but has only 20 hours on it. It runs well but I have very little experience with the boat. It's still on the trailer and I haven't put it in the water yet for a number of reasons not relevant here.

I attach a hose to the engine and run it occasionally. The engine runs well. The idle throttle works well.

The problem seems to be when I shift into forward and into reverse. If I shift into forward cautiously and slowly, I hear a gear-stripping noise before the transmission moves into forward gear, but it always successfully shifts into gear. If I shift into forward gear faster the transmission makes a thud sound that makes it evident that it is indeed in gear but the thud noise seems louder than it should be for a good -quality engine. Also, I have to move the throttle handle fairly far forward before there is acceleration, although there is always good acceleration. I just wouldn't have expected to have to move the throttle handle so far forward to begin acceleration after shifting into forward gear.

In reverse, there is a slighter gear-stripping noise but no acceleration even when I pull the throttle all the way back. I think I should get more than idle-speed acceleration in reverse.

So those are the problems with the shift and throttle. Anybody else ever have these problems and if so, how were the problems solved?

Randy