Hydrodyners.com

Mark

Check where the throttle cable attaches to the throttle linkage @ the motor. There is a small adjustment screw that must be tight to the stop when in neutral. Do not change the screw, adjust the cable @ the motor end until it is tight to the stop. This should bring the idle down. If the stop is ok you would have to put it on a laptop to change the idle speed.

As far as the clunk that's normal. It does not hurt a thing. We shift our outboards a hundred times a day 5 days a week with no problems. If you put it in gear to slow the click,click,click is the clutch dogs not engaging like they should. This will lead to premature failure of the lower unit.

Hope this helps

The boat motor should smoothly go in and out of gear. Clunking is one thing, the clicking is the motor not going all the way into gear usually. I'd consult a professional marine mechanic as fixing the lower unti can get expensive quickly.