1970 johnson 60hp controls not very smooth

thegipper

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The controls on my Johnson all work fine (hydro electric shift) but the throttle and high idle lever are really hard to move, at least, harder then I've been used to on other boats. The cables don't appear to be bound up or anything, it just seems like inside the controls needs some oil or something. The throttle can easily be moved on the motor itself. My question is, can i just take off the screws that hold the cover on and put some kind of lubricant on it? There is also a "throttle tension" knob but it doesn't do anything. I can turn it counterclockwise (what the knob says should be to loosen the tension) forever and it doesn't change anything. The throttle lever just feels rough like there is no lube on it and not smooth at all. Any advise on this or how to take the throttle box apart?
 

thegipper

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Controls are rough/hard to move
 

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ajgraz

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Could well be that your control box needs lube...but first:

How much bend radius do you have in the tightest turn your control cable(s) take? Anyplace where there might be a "kink"? And what brand/model (and age) are they? Some cables can take a tighter bend radius than others. And if you've gotten a kink or permanent sharp bend somewhere, even just a slight one, probably toast.

Also, what kind of boat? If something like a runabout with a splashwell (as opposed to, say, an "open stern" center console), do your cables have a nice big loop in them before entering the motor?
 

GA_Boater

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You didn't say if the throttle moving easily on the motor was with the cable connected, so the first thing to do is disconnect the throttle cable on the motor and see if the stiffness changes. The cable itself may be on it's last legs.

Never opened a box like you have, so no help there.
 

thegipper

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The boat is a 1982 Starcraft. There is no kinks or any sharp bends in the cable that I can see but there is also no loop in the cable before it enters the motor.

When I say you can move throttle on the motor easily, that is with the cable attached. My point there is it is not bound up on the actual motor (throttle being stuck on the motor).

The best way to describe it is the throttle lever moves fine, its just hard to push either forward or in reverse and feels "rough" like there is zero lube in whatever moving parts are inside the box.

Here is a picture of the schematics of the control group. After seeing the schematics, it makes me very hesitant to open this thing up. There looks like there is a million little pieces that will go everywhere if I try messing with it.

It's totally usable right now, its just kind of annoying. Other throttles I've used before were much smoother and easier to move. Of course they were 47 years old...


lever schematics.jpg
 

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ajgraz

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I'd say go get a can of WD40 brand silicone spray (in the yellow and black can, IIRC), and see if you use the straw attachment to spray copiously into the many seams and crevices of the box, see if that loosens you up any. If so, you know what you gotta do.
 

thegipper

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I'd say go get a can of WD40 brand silicone spray (in the yellow and black can, IIRC), and see if you use the straw attachment to spray copiously into the many seams and crevices of the box, see if that loosens you up any. If so, you know what you gotta do.



That is some sound advise. I actually just recently bought a can of that stuff. I'm assuming I wont run any risk of screwing up any electrical things inside there if use that kind of spray?
 

ajgraz

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If anything, will give them extra moisture protection
 

thegipper

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To avoid making another post, I'll ask here since one of you guys may have the answer. Already built in my console was the tilt switch (3 connectors on the back) that is not being used right now. I bought a CMC tilt for my motor and it works great. It came with a switch on the wiring harness. What I want to do is use both switches. I want the one on the console for when I'm driving, but I want to use the one that came with the CMC lift in the back of the boat for when I'm getting the motor ready to be trailered.

Both switches have 3 connections, can I simply connect them in parallel? For example, on switch #1 it has A, B, and C terminals. Would I just hook up switch #1's A terminal with switch #2 A terminal and so on?

Is that how you would hook it up to use two switches?
 

thegipper

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Like a dope, I didn't think to ask my dad who has been an electrician (worked on the Titan 2 nuclear missile program and medical electronics) for most of his life. He said to hook it up the way I thought to do it. Neutral to neutral, up to up, down to down. Disconnect battery before screwing with it and make sure you don't ever try to use both switches at the same time.
 

jimmbo

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There was a requirement with those boxes that the throttle cable not be anchored(clamped) solidly against anything for several feet back from the box. I guess the cable had to move when the start lever was used. My dad experienced pretty much the same as yours. He had 'tidied up' the mess as he called it an clamped the wires and the cable down nice and neat.
 

thegipper

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Ok there is a loop in the throttle cable before the motor. I double checked and there are no snags or kinks. I used some WD40 dry lube and sprayed inside the control box and it seemed to help a bit. My guess is this is just the nature of the beast of this control box. I'll just have to live with it...
 

maybe368

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Apr 26, 2005
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I have a '78 starcraft with a 73 Johnson 115hp. It has a different control box, but the diagram is very similar to mine. I had a similar problem, nothing would return to nominal location after using the warm up lever. I changed the control cables and it solved the problem. My point is, don't be afraid to replace the cable if necessary. I would not be afraid to disassemble the control box in order to lubricate things. What I found in mine was a bunch of apparently original grease that had petrified, so, if that is the case for yours, spraying something inside will probably no solve things. If it were me, I would remove the 3 screws holding the outer cover on and carefully remove it in order to inspect things. Also, if it turnns out to be the cable, it appears from the diagram, that the cable can be changed with just the removal of that plate. I take photos so that I can get things back together. If you decide to change the cable, let me know, because there is a correct way to set the screws that retain it. The cables come with out the ends, so you reuse yours. Just measure the old one and order the same...Mark
 
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