Evinrude/Johnson 9.5HP Stuck in reverse gear/ parts interchange.th

[bpike]

Question 1)
I purchased an Evinrude 9.5HP I believe 1973 (Plate is missing). I messed with it a bit and got it running satisfactorily and proceded to the River. Here's where the trouble begins (and I should have known better). I ran across a submerged sandbar, pretty sure the prop was essentially trying to tear through a foot of sand all while sucking up the sandbar into the water pump. After this the FWD/Nuetral/Reverse selector is stuck in reverse and while the selector is stuck in reverse it is moving the propeller in reverse, but seems that the prop is not turning with proportion to the engine speed, like maybe I chewed up a gear and it is slipping.

Question 2)
Are parts for this era of Johnson/ Evinrude motors pretty well interchangeable? Can I go find a similar motor (late 60's to early 70's Johnson or Evinrude) and expect the parts to pretty much interchange? I am stuck between moving forward fixing this outboard with parts from another, or just taking it out to the South 40 and shooting at it with a rifle.

 

[F_R]

1. Back off on the throttle so you can shift it out of reverse. If it is slipping, it probably is the propeller hub. No need to shoot the whole motor for a prop.
2. Yes.​

 

[bpike]

I have turned the throttle all the way back to "Start", "Shift", and "Slow" setting, and the lever simply will not move, engine running or not. Also kind of odd the engine will fire and start stuck in reverse and without regard to the position of the throttle. I thought that there was some provision to prevent the engine from being started in the "Reverse" gear. Maybe all this is related. Guess I am just going to have to tear it down and see what doesn't look right, or what is chewed up.

 

[F_R]

Hold on. If the lever won't move, Examine all that linkage at the top to see if there is anything messed up. It is true that there could be something busted in the lower unit, but that should be the last place you look. No, there is no start-in-neutral-only lockout. But there is the throttle limiter in gear, which also prevents shifting at too-fast throttle settings. And the idle speed knob on the side, which if set too high will make it impossible to shift. I think your problem is somewhere in those areas. Maybe something has come disconnected?

 

[bpike]

Well, just dove in after draining the lower unit, and seeing it looked like brown chocolate milk. Guy I bought it off of said he had just replaced the water impeller and changed the lower unit oil. Turns out the shifting issue was that he had neglected to put one of the bolts in the shift rod coupler, and it simply pulled apart. The other problem was in the lower unit. The lower shift rod had shifted such that the spring wasn't riding on the rod. Next hurdle is getting the driveshaft out of the powerhead. When I pulled the lower, the shaft insisted on staying in. From the looks of the water pump housing the PO had the same trouble, as he simply forced the water pump housing over the impeller pin. right now the unit is upside down with some penetrating oil soaking in hopes of freeing the shaft. At this point I have the whole lower disassembled, so find myself thinking that I should replace all the brass bushings and seals to prevent water getting into the lower unit oil again. Are these bushings easily replaced, or is a press generally required? Also noticed the shaft has a few rings on it, do these need to be polished out, or do you think the seals will still work?

 

[F_R]

The only bushing that can be replaced is the big one on the forward gear. The other ones are cast in while the aluminum was melted liquid. Good luck with your project.