Motor Issues

[baytech05]

Here is the deal,

I have a 2003 Mec 40 outboard. The year after I bought it I was having trouble starting it because it would not stay in neutral. I would have to fiddle with it until it would get into the right spot and then turn over. I took it back to the dealer (still under warrenty at the time) and they said it was a linkage problem. They said they tightened it up and it work ok for the remainder of the year.

Well I was at the dock Saturday morning trying to start my once again testy engine. This time it won't start until it is at a point right between neutral and forward. Well you can guess what happened... The minute it kicked over it jumped into forward gear and off I went, like a cat shot in the you know what. Thank god there was nobody in front of me and my dad did a poor job of tying me off. But I need to get this fixed.

I just talked to the dealer, he once again said it was the linkage and to bring it back. Well it's no longer under warrenty and I don't want to drive two hours to the dealer to have him tighten a screw.

My questions are these:

Does anybody else have this problem?

If they tighten the linkage back up again will this keep occuring and if so is there any way I can prevent it?

Can I do this myself and if so does anybody have an Idea how to do it?

Ok, It was a long rant sorry.

Any help or ideas would be great.

Thanks,

baytech