Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

[Chriscar]

1969 Johnson 85hp motor. I had the water pump replaced and now I can,t shift into neutral, but I do have reverse and forward. I jumped the green wire off the selonoid and it shifted into neutral. I took a voltage reading with the engine running and had 10.90v at both the green and blue wires. If this is not enough voltage to shift into neutral then how can the motor shift into reverse, because it takes voltage from both the green and blue wires to shift into reverse. I at first thought the shift switch was bad and rigged up two toggle switches but still only forward and reverse. I am at a loss where to go from here.

 

[eavega]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

If you are able to shift by jumping the green wire from the solenoid, then your problem has to be between the control and the green wire. If, specifically, you are getting proper voltage in order to shift the motor into reverse (i.e. can get voltage down both green and blue wires), then the fault must be with the switch, since that would be the only circuit difference between neutral (12V to blue and green) and reverse (12V to green only) as far as the green wire is concerned. I don't know enough about the switches to say whether a simple toggle switch would work as a substitute for the push-buttons on the control.

All of this is speculation based on what I understand about the hydro electric shift.

-E

 

[rlb9844]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

Have you taken the foot back off? Sounds like you might have pinched or shorted wire.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

You engine defalts into forward if voltage is lost.
Remove both wires, green an blue at the engine.
Use a volt meter to check voltages from the shift switch. Forward= no voltage on either wire.
Neutral= voltage on green wire only.
Reverse= voltage on both wires.
That will check your shift switch operatoin, if that is correct the problem is in the lower unit.

 

[Chriscar]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

I did the voltage checks and they were ok. The mechanic messed one of the wires up putting the foot on. That is the only explanation. Thanks

 

[Daviet]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

I just reread your post, you said you could get neutral by jumping the green wire at the engine correct? If so that means the wire going to the coil has to be good. How did you wire your toggle switches.

 

[eavega]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

I did the voltage checks and they were ok. The mechanic messed one of the wires up putting the foot on. That is the only explanation. Thanks

But, if you are getting neutral, that means that the right voltage is getting to the green wire. If the mechanic would've pinched a wire causing a short, then any voltage coming down that wire would be lost due to the short, no? That would mean when you tried to shift into neutral, it wouldn't work b/c you wouldn't get any voltage to the green wire. If you were getting neutral from the switch, but not reverse, then the fault would be at the switch, not wire down the leg.

The other possibility is that somehow you have reversed the connections for the blue and green wires. So, what is happening is that when you are going into neutral, you are energizing the blue wire (instead of the green), which is a NO-OP in this case. In the case of reverse, you would still be energizing both wires even if the wires were somehow crossed. In forward you are also working right, because there is voltage to neither one.

Unless, that's what you mean by "The mechanic messed up the wire"

-E

 

[Chriscar]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

The only way the motor will shift into neutral is if I disconnect the wiring harness from the front and apply voltage to the green wire. I made two toggle switches. I took the purple wire (power source) and ran two leads off it and connected a lead to each switch then I wired the green wire to one switch and the other switch I attached the blue wire. That way when both were turned off I would get Forward gear (no voltage) With both switches turned on I got reverse and with the green switch activated and the blue switch turned off I was to get neutral. However neutral still wouldn't engage. I felt this switch system would prevent accidentially engaging reverse unless both switches were energized.

 

[roncoop75]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

Have you tried pulling the wires off the switch (the ones going to the solenoid) and seeing if one of them is shorted to ground? The mechanic may have not pinched/cut, ie. opened, the wire. Instead, maybe he just pinched through the insulation and grounded one of them.

 

[Chriscar]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

I am taking the boat back to him this AM. He said he will take it apart to check the wiring. I will ask him to check if any of the wires are shorted to ground before he takes it apart. The boat shifted great before the W/P was replaced so at this point I feel there is a problem in the lower unit wiring.

 

[F_R]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

Your toggle scheme makes sense and should work. However, your first sentence says neutral works if you connect 12V directly to the green wire. Something doesnt fit here. Are you sure neutral isn't just working intermittantly whenever it feels like it?

 

[Chriscar]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

That is what is so frustrating, I get neutral if I apply voltage from the starter solenoid. Also I might add this the engine stays in forward when put into neutral.

 

[Chriscar]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

The mechanic just called me and said that there does not appear to any shorts in the wires and can't see any problems.

 

[boobie]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

One question, does your mechanic understand how this system works ?

 

[eavega]

Re: Hydrolectric shift , no neutral

I saw on another thread that the mechanic magically fixed the problem. Congratulations!


-E