shifting 1970 33hp Evinrude

[ward cleaver]

I am resurrecting a 1970 33hp Evinrude. I found that after removing the lower unit, it was very hard to move the shift rod. It would only go up and engage the prop (or was it down?) and then back into neutral. But it would not go into the other gear. So I removed the lower housing to take a peek inside. Turns out the reluctance to shift has to do with the spring and detent balls. The clutch dog does not want to move over them. I have to use a screw driver to pry the dog over one way and it snaps into position and then pry it back the other way where upon it snaps into the other gear.

Seems like the problem is that the spring is having a hard time compressing. I've lubed it but it is still hard to move the dog over it. Anyone ever have this problem? I will try cleaning out the hole the spring sits in. Maybe that will help if there is some corrosion in there. Speaking of corrosion -- altho this sat for many years without use and had only a little oil in it when I drained it (black not milky white) the parts do not show any signs of corrosion.

 

[F_R]

Re: shifting 1970 33hp Evinrude

Whoa, stop!!! It ain't broke. That is the purpose of those detent balls---to make it snap positively into positions. It won't be hard to shift when you are doing it by way of the normal shifting linkages. But it should have a definite snapping action.

As for not going from one gear, directly to the opposite when not running, that too is normal. It has to be moving so it will "fit" into position. In other words, it catches it on the fly.

Too bad you took it apart for nothing.

 

[ward cleaver]

Re: shifting 1970 33hp Evinrude

Thanks for the quick reply. I did consider that it might shift ok when I put everything back together. But since this thing had sat for so many years with very little oil in the gear case I thought I would open it up anyway to see if things were ok. Maybe unnecessary, but that's how I tend to learn about mechanical things. Take em apart and put em back together.