Selectric Lower Gear Unit

[elark7]

I have two questions concerning the 1965 Evinrude 40 hp that I own. It is a selectric shift. I have done several things from previous posts on this sight but still have a problem. I have forward gear, nuetral, and forward when I press reverse. I noticed today that the voltage drops to 8.5 volts on both wires instead of 12. Also when I removed the lower housing I had foamy water on top of the water pump housing. Everything there was tight and there is no water in the type c gear fluid. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[F_R]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

Do I read that right? Forward and neutral are OK, but it goes into forward when you press reverse? and only 8.5v in either fwd or reverse? Sounds like a screwed up shift switch. Be careful, going in the wrong gear could be serious if it decides to go into both fwd and rev at the same time. Something is liable to bust. Come back with a more detailed explanation of your voltage findings and where/when.

I wouldn't get too excited about the emulsified water/oil mix in the exhaust housing. That is the dumping ground for exhaust, unburned oil that has gone through the engine, and excess fuel that has been drained off the crankcase, all mixed with hot cooling water that has gone through the system. It's messy, especially after running under certain conditions. That's why all the uproar and controversy over two-strokes vs four-strokes and the environment. Some engines are worse than others. Yours is a great motor, but not the cleanest ever built. Keep it tuned up, and adjusted for best running. Use correct fuel mix 50:1.

 

[elark7]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

It does go into forward when I put it into reverse. For Neutral I have 12 volts at the green wire. Forward I have no voltage to either wire. When I push the reverse button I only have 8.5 to 8.9 volts at the blue and green wire, and it turns the prop forward. I was wondering if I could wire in the second battery that runs my trolling motor to see if it would increase the voltage.

 

[F_R]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

Everything is normal except you should have 12 volts at both blue and green wires in reverse. Your push button switch is shot. Unfortunatly, it is rather common on those motors. Another battery won't help. The problem is high resistance in the contacts in the switch.

 

[itstippy]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

Huh. That must be hydroelectric shift. I thought 1965's were electric shift. What year did they switch from electric coils to hydroelectric solenoids, you pro's?

 

[F_R]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

:%Whoa, everybody stop here and now. I got led astray by his description of what is happening. He was describing the action of a Hydro-electric shift switch. But a '65-40hp DOES NOT have Hydro-Electric. Itstippy is correct in questioning it. Having 12v on both blue and green can cause severe damage on this motor. It sounds like you have a Hydro-Electric switch in the control. Did you change it or something? Let's hope it hasn't already caused damage. Don't mess with it anymore till you understand the system and get that switch question resolved. Sorry I didn't catch it, and thanks itstippy.
Hydro-Electric came out in 1968 on the 55hp. Both systems were used for a few years afterwards, according to hp size.

 

[elark7]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

As far as I know it is the original controls with the engine. It is the way that I bought it 2 years ago. At that time the owner stated that it was a 1965, but the id plate has a gouge on it that eliminates two numbers so I have no way to confirm what he said. He was the third owner. I did the jumper wire test at the engine connections and I can hear the coils/solenoids clicking. The switch is a three wire type. The wires to and from the switch are light blue and light green and the wiring harness matches the one in the shop manual that I have for a 1965 40 hp with generator. The manual also covers hydroelectric shift, but not electric shift?:/

 

[F_R]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

Irregardless, a 1965 anything is not Hydro-Electric. For one thing as a quick check all hydro-electrics have thru-the-prop-hub exhaust. And they didn't appear till 1968, and then it was only on the 3 cylinder 55hp Triumph.

The wire circuitry for a 1965 is 12v on green wire for forward and 12v on blue wire for reverse. No voltage on either for neutral. And never a voltage on two wires at once. I know, the diagram doesn't make that clear, but that's the way it is.

 

[elark7]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

Thank you FR. You confirmed what I discovered today. The switch is bad, I thought so after earlier posts and reading some more of the other member questions. I did an ohm test which was fine then did a jumper wire test at the engine with it running and ta dah! I had forward and reverse with 12 volts applied as you state. I wired in temporary toggle switches and found that there was a drop in voltage for reverse which lead to wire tracing and a short found. I guess when I rewired the boat and accessories I should have done the engine harness as well, but hindsight. So I am off to the electrical store to buy color matching wires and connectors to redo the engine harness. Thank you to all for the help! My sons are excited about being able to get around faster again.

 

[elark7]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

I went back to my manual and checked and I am a little confused. Why does it not mention the electric shift and how to connect the voltage. I was connecting it according to what it says ( Hydoelectric way) and may actually have killed the switch. Also does mine need the type c fluid, I changed it and put Type C in it. Lastly the new ignition switch I put on starts the engine but won"t shut it off. I am also looking at putting a kill switch in that would cut all power can this be done with the older engines?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

Yes you can put in a kill switch, it works exactly like a modern outboard. Connect each wire on the kill switch to an "M" terminal on the keyswitch. Two small black wires will run from the outboard to those terminals.

Type C is the old name for the fluid. ONLY use OMC/BRP "Premium Blend" gearcase lube in that unit. Any other "Type C" fluids can cause problems.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit

To check the gearcase itself, disconnect the wires leading to it at the powerheads starboard side, then apply 12v to one of the wires, then 12v to the other wire. If the propeller spins in one direction, then the other, the gearcase is okay.

Checking the switch. Use an ohm meter. One meter lead connected to the switch terminal that usually has 12v supplied to it when the key is on, the other meter lead connected to the forward terminal. There should be no reading until you shift into forward. Now do the same with the reverse terminal.

If there is any reading on either the forward or reverse terminal when in neutral, or a reading on both the forward and reverse terminal at the same time when in either gear, you have the wrong shift switch.

 

[elark7]

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit, Thank you for the help!

Re: Selectric Lower Gear Unit, Thank you for the help!

Just a thank you to all that helped with this problem. After reading replies to similar posts and to mine I have gone the route of putting in three toggle switches. I went with two lighted on/off and one on/off/on. This allows me the safety of power only going to one on/off switch at a time, shutting power off to drive prior to giving power to and shifting into reverse. The switches fit in the original spot and look better then the original push buttons and work great.