1969 Johnson 55hp

[Hab]

Well I learned something today about the solenoids that may be the source of my problems, besides oil volume. So the solenoids have been removed 2X and probably not seated correctly either time. JoeReeves says the plunger should set below the solenoid by 1/64". I know when i slapped mine together the plunger was proud of the solenoid, but i had no way of knowing better. the cap has an indentation i assumed was to receive the proud plunger, but maybe not. Oh boy i cant wait to remove the lower unit again. Anyone ever filled the lower unit with oil through the solenoid cap, seems like it would be way easier to dump oil in that way than what I did before.

Joe's instructions, post 13, the motor hes discussing is a 72 and may be different than mine.
https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...de-outboards/10659984-hydroelectric-solenoids

What i think may be the problem. If i remember right i tested the plunger, when i reinstalled it, to be sure it would move freely up and down against the spring. I'm not sure there was a way to set it below the plunger. Anyone else had these out and set the plunger to a specific depth?

 

[Tim Frank]

Must be missing something....why are you not using the drain and fill screws?

 

[racerone]

??------Gearcase volume just does not change on a long shaft !!------Hab post pictures of what you find on the bottom of the plungers.-----I am beginning to think something is missing.----Might be time to do a complete inspection.----Less than " knowledgeable " hands have been working on this fine piece of machinery !

 

[Hab]

Must be missing something....why are you not using the drain and fill screws?

I did the first time, albeit incorrectly. I haven't bought a pump with the nice screw in seat for the fill plug yet. Secondly because i was only able to get maybe a pint in it the first time.

 

[Hab]

??------Gearcase volume just does not change on a long shaft !!------Hab post pictures of what you find on the bottom of the plungers.-----I am beginning to think something is missing.----Might be time to do a complete inspection.----Less than " knowledgeable " hands have been working on this fine piece of machinery !

Meh.... Ive been called worse. Doesn't help that my manual appears to be incomplete. This photo is from post #9. What you don't see here is the the small metal plunger that fits on the bottom of the shaft. It has a ball end that seems to seat into the plastic holder on the bottom of the shaft if i remember. Same way it came out. I do have that part. Dad bought this engine for parts for nearly nothing. I dont doubt it may have other flaws, but for testing and figuring it suits my need. I was hoping to avoid fabricating the special tools required to breakdown the gear case for full inspection, but it may have to happen. Its probably full of dirt dobbers. Ive rebuild a couple T-5s so there is no way this thing can have more parts, or be much more complex.

 

[racerone]

The unit is 50 years old.----No telling who had their hands on it.

 

[Tim Frank]

I did the first time, albeit incorrectly. I haven't bought a pump with the nice screw in seat for the fill plug yet. Secondly because i was only able to get maybe a pint in it the first time.

The gearcase oil comes in a bottle with a Yorker spout....trim to the right length and you do not need a "nice screw-in seat"....the Yorker will seal just fine in the fill hole... the bottles are flexible enough to scrnch up and fill the case.

 

[Hab]

The gearcase oil comes in a bottle with a Yorker spout....trim to the right length and you do not need a "nice screw-in seat"....the Yorker will seal just fine in the fill hole... the bottles are flexible enough to scrnch up and fill the case.

Well allright, minor success tonight. I managed to get 25-28 oz of fluid in the lower unit and Ill be dang i have nuetral now. Now i have to give credit where due. My bottles didnt come with the yorker spout but i grabbed one off of another gear oil bottle I had. I went ahead and filled it the right way since i had already reinstalled the lower unit. I was kind of irritated at the thing and got over exuberant with the bottle squishing technique and shot fluid back at myself. note to Hab, "Slow the hell down". Anyway Mr. Tim_Frank I take back all the terrible things i muttered about you behind your back. I still dont have Reverse, but that is not a show stopper. The solenoid checks out (via ohms and conductivity) and with additional fluid in the case it clicks now when power is applied. Ill test a few more times and add some more oil after cranking it a few more times. Ill still have to take the lower unit off and make a seal for it between the lower unit and the upper. All in All im pumped and ready to get back to the Carbs and ignition system that i started this thread for.

Thanks Tim_Frank and racerone.

 

[Tim Frank]

Thought my ears were burning....
I guess with the advent of small hand pumps they decided it was ok to change gear oil containers....I am old enough to remember the tubes like a toothpaste tube....of course they have changed those too. They were great, and easy to empty.
If I am doing more than one LU I break out the pump....if not, the setup time means I can have the LU filled before I could even find the pump, and just go Old School.

 

[Hab]

No further progress on the reverse issue, Im hoping it is just a pump speed problem at this point. Since Im working on the spare engine, i decided to leave it as is. I have Neutral and forward. Started working on the carbs this weekend. Tore off the top carb and it was really clean. This engine probably did not see too many hours its whole life, or the carbs were worked on before we received it. Still I attempted a total breakdown and clean up. I fouled the heck out of the high speed jet, even with a modified tool. So i decided to quit while there was still enough brass left to get a hold of. Maybe I can find or make a better tool in the future. Anyone have a recommendation for the high speed jets that are stuck hard in the bottom of the bowl?

 

[racerone]

A good lower unit shifts to reverse with turning the driveshaft with a special socket and wrench.----Turning by hand .

 

[Hab]

A good lower unit shifts to reverse with turning the driveshaft with a special socket and wrench.----Turning by hand .

Thanks Racerone, I know there is still some issue with this lower unit, I'm suspicious of the reverse solenoid even though it ohms at 5.6. It never really clicked in the chamber as hard as the neutral or the other motor. This is still the spare motor, and I know the motor that we had on the boat was operational the last time it was used. I'm choosing to ignore it for now and solve my common ignition problems first.

 

[Hab]

Spring Revival of my projects is getting underway. Dragged the motor out for some testing after looking through the carb and fuel pump. Managed to get it to run fairly well on some 50:1 I had laying around. The Automotive coil and points Dad put in it a few years ago seem to be working great. Now I'm onto rebuilding the controls so I can run some longer, better tests. Anyone know if the newer fuel pump kit can be used with the older pumps. I could also use some guidance on the throttle mechanism, can it be removed and cleaned. Mine seems stiff and difficult to rotate.

https://youtu.be/x4QMckr77Oc

 

[Hab]

I finally got the lower unit working. Looks like it just needed the proper oil, and a descent test setup. I guess i was just too sloppy before. It shifts just find when cranking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cECM7HroQE

 

[racerone]

See how quickly that unit goes into neutral.-----Looks like it is working as designed.------I think these units are well engineered / very reliable / very simple to maintain and trouble shoot !!

 

[Hab]

No kidding, it was s big surprise yesterday to see it respond so well. I had it shifting into neutral last fall, but it wasn't that good. I never did find reverse in my previous testing, but apparently its there. I had some problems with my start solenoid also but after heating it up and powering it up a few dozen times it suddenly kicked on the starter. scared me good, when it suddenly cranked after multiple failed key turns. Dad is coming over tomorrow to help with some more testing. The ignition system works, but we need to make sure it worked right through the full range of the throttle. I'm kicking myself for not ordering a tachometer sooner.

 

[Hab]

For anyone interested here is shot of the modified breaker plate my dad made a few years ago. We got together for Fathers day and ran it for a bit, and really it surprised both of us it idles great and took the throttle really well. The ball sockets between the throttle arm and the breaker plate disintegrated during the tests, so we had to stop and order parts. We also picked up a third engine this week. it is locked up but, most of the electronics are intact, so between the two of us and 3 engines we are sure to have at least one runner.

 

[Hab]

Im looking for some advice. I'm trying to get the lower unit buttoned up. What do you guys use to seal the lower unit to the exhaust housing? Also, can I put some rtv around the plastic pipe extensions to keep them in place on the lower unit, and not allow them to slide up the copper pipes in the exhaust housing?

 

[racerone]

Those plastic tubes are merely to guide the copper tubes in place during assembly.-------They do nothing after that and serve no other purpose.

 

[F_R]

Gasket sealer between lower unit and upper housing is optional. Most any kind you have on hand will do. Any water that leaks out there was headed back to the lake anyway. But some people do like to worry about it.