'71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

[newB-08]

I read somewhere once that the two happiest days of a boat owner's life are the day he buys a boat, and the day he sells it.....

So, I bought my first boat about a month and a half ago, and have yet to put it in the water. It is an old tri-hull with a 1971 60hp evinrude with the selectric control box. My problem is that the engine is actually running backwards. When I turn the key, it cranks, but won't fire until I let go of the key, and then it runs backwards. I've been told that since it's a 2 stroke, it can do this, but no one knows how to fix it.

I don't know if it's related or not, but in the control box, there is a wire that is just kind of hanging. I can not find where it is supposed to be connected. I have been looking for a wiring diagram, but have had no luck. I am an electrician by trade, so I do have a little knowledge in this area, but I still haven't been able to figure it out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise I'll have to break down and take it to the boat shop. Thanks.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

I'll bet timing is way out for this to happen.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

the starter can only turn the motor one direction, are you saying that when you release the key the motor kicks back and turns the opposite direction the starter was turning it?

my thought is that, at one time there were some counter rotating motors, they were used as matched pairs, for a twin engine application. new motors this is done in the gears of the lower unit. does it shift gears in the right direction, when you shift?

 

[wilde1j]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

TD, the only motors I know of that ran backwards by design were the old white Mercs that got reverse by stopping and restarting backwards. Don't know of any OMC or even antique Evinrude-Elto's that ever did that.

From model airplane experience, if you assemble with the cylinder 180? rotated, they will sometimes run backwards, and some motors with edgy timing will sometimes start in the correct direction, hiccup and run backwards, or do it bouncing back against compression and just run backwards.

 

[woody66912]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

if memory serves me right under the flywheel is a ainti reversing spring check to make sure spring is not broke or stuck.

 

[F_R]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

woody is correct. Under the flywheel is a spring made of silver wire that rindes on the crankshaft. When the shaft is rotating in the proper direction, friction makes the spring rotate up against an insulator block. When the motor tries to run backwards, the spring rotates with it and against a metal tap, shorting out the ignition and prevent ing spark to the plugs.

That spring is supposed to be lubricated very sparingly with a bit of EP grease. Failure to do maintenance causes the spring to wear and eventually break.

EDIT: here is a nicely neglected one. The spring is at the bottom of the shaft, just above the breaker plate. See how dry and rusty it is?

 

[newB-08]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

That is correct. The starter turns the engine in one direction, and once the key is released, it fires, and runs in the opposite direction. I cannot get it to shift out of gear, but I chalk that up to the loose wire in the control box (I hope because I know about the springs in the lower unit, and the cost of fixing that problem.)
As far as an OEM manual, can you point me in the right direction for finding one?
In the mean time, I will pop off the fly wheel and look for that spring....
Thanks to all who have helped so far.

 

[F_R]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

As for the shifting out of forward gear, it will ALWAYS be in forward when not running. It has to be running or at least cranking, in order to shift. I don't think you really know about the "springs". That was an older model and completely different animal. Yours is shifted by hydraulic pressure coming from an oil pump in the lower unit. If it is not running, the pump isn't rotating, no oil pressure equals no shifting.

 

[T0M BAJ0REK]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

I have foend that i have the same setup. w. the spring, The sprong should lay flat, not cockeued, youll see it. However, ARE YOU 100% sure you have a 71? I have a 71 and have neutral sol and a rev sol. this is, as ive learned here on iboat, a "fail safe" design, if that motor triedss to run in reverse, (old ones did) but Im thinking your prop is in reverse. If your looking down @ the flywheel, it should turn clockwise. There are 2 sets of points and 3 contacts , not sure how that works, if one set alternates,thats besides the point. check the position of the spring. also list the mod and serial #. Or another way tro tell, is if your motor is factory and unmolested, you should have a horn in the gear selector/throttle box. If its a 70 you dont have that, you have a light. Its the same circuit, in 70 they have a light for overheating ... so if you have the light It would seem to me that you have forward sol as well as reverse and not be failsafe. Ive only had mine for a week and an still figuring this stuff out myself as best i can.
Ive learned that 71 models with mod # ending in C have a timing poiter , mines a 1/2 inch or so from the flywheel, It also is alocated above the carps so if the prop side of the flyweheel is 12 oclock the carb side is 6oclock... you also have 2 sets of timing marks, it would apear that i only use 1 set of marks, but I havent gotten that far w. it yet. thats provided you have the same 60hp 1971 evinrude,
One problem may be the shift solenoid, it lloks like a brown...scrotum (u cant miss it) LOL. but to test it try the following
disc yelloe yel/gray + purple wires @ terminal block,they lead from the diode use a 12v batt ( i used mine from a 12v drill but it tells you no more than 12v..... use a ligh in lin attach to purp green, and yellow , then reverse, your light shoulkd light up one way or the other, I have to wonder if yours is backwards??? maybe someone wired it backwards??
again the spring should be there and flat side down.
if you need schematics i have some.
I cant seem to send attachments on here, but can through my email
send me your adss and Ill send you schematics. www.tombthebomb@yahoo.com

 

[T0M BAJ0REK]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

also the spring they are talking about is to short the circuit to your ign in case it run backwards. There is also a wave washer in the dist cap, wich plays many roles, almost as if evinrude planned obsoletion, everything is in the dist, a common tune up part that gen costs 20.00 max is now a stator, and all your plug wires are fixed to it, so do not attempt to remove the plug wires, but you could have a # of problems, if that spring got jammed, because of someones neglect, or the wave washer in the cap or rotor... (i 4get where exactly) was left out, Imagine the keywya shearing and then jamming on the flywheels way around, then you have issues, but in theory, 2 strokes can run in rev. Ive heard of old trolling motors that can be started eithr way depending on wich way you coil the rope. That brings me to another thought...hmmm. How sure are you thet someone didnt, put the wrong starter in it? I dont knowif all outboards run the smae way but maybe your starter spins backwards (check polarity on it, and again that spring could be jammed, jammed broken or missing.

 

[T0M BAJ0REK]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

I would really remove the flywheel and look for damage to the spring, and the keyway, youre timing may be off and your spring could be broken , jammed or missing. after that,, IDSK parts it out.... I need a clipper assy

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: '71 60hp Evinrude running backwards, loose wire

There's more here then a broken anti-reverse spring. That spring will keep the engine from running backwards, but the engine should not try to run backwards every time you go to start it. A carbon trail in the distributor cap would be one place to look. That engine must be firing way to early for some reason. It almost has to be backfiring, then running in reverse.

 

[Beerbrother]

Would this anti reverse spring cause a no spark in forward direction but spark in reverse direction ??? That is what I’m currently going through with my boat 71 60hp Johnson on a tri haul

 

[WIMUSKY]

Dude, this is a 10yr old thread. Please start your own Topic. Welcome to the forum..

Please take a moment to mosey thru the rules:
https://forums.iboats.com/forum/foru...ules-attention

 

[GA_Boater]

Would this anti reverse spring cause a no spark in forward direction but spark in reverse direction ??? That is what I’m currently going through with my boat 71 60hp Johnson on a tri haul

Dude, this is a 10yr old thread. Please start your own Topic. Welcome to the forum..

Please take a moment to mosey thru the rules:
https://forums.iboats.com/forum/foru...ules-attention

Closed.