Early '70's Selectric gear buttons

[Tinkerer]

Are the gear & neutral selector buttons on the control box supposed to click down and stay down (and/or push up the other buttons), or are they just pushed in to select a gear and then rebound? I'm asking because I've just acquired one of these and I'd rather find out whether it needs work before I hook it up to the motor and boat. The neutral button is down and the other two are up, and nothing moves more than a few millimetres (1/16")

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Early '70's Selectric gear buttons

hello<br /> yes the design configuration was when one switch button was pushed the switch cams would lift the other buttons. the buttons also had an inter lock that was screwed to the throttle handle to lock out shifting with the trottle advanced. dont force anything. the push button shifter is no longer availible and I hate to tell people how to rig it with a 2 pos nav light type switch. and yes when depressed the button will lock down and lock the other two up. good luck and keep posting

 

[Tinkerer]

Re: Early '70's Selectric gear buttons

rodbolt<br /><br />Thanks. <br /><br />Helps heaps when you know what it's supposed to do. <br /><br />Got it working OK now except forward button depresses and switch post under button holds down, but button is pushed up again. Feels like maybe there's a spring under the rubber that should have a detent or something to keep it down but it's sliding up the post and pushing the button up. <br /><br />Any reason I shouldn't pull the rubber cover apart, i.e. remove the base flap that's glued to the rest, to get inside and see what's going on?

 

[OBJ]

Re: Early '70's Selectric gear buttons

Tinkerer....right under the push buttons are return springs. You should not have to remove the rubber cover off the switch to check these. You really don't want to get into the switch.<br /><br />There are about three covers you have to remove to get to the springs and you can do it without removing the control box or tearing it apart.