1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

[sublime_net]

I picked up a 1968 Johnson 6hp, model CD-25R yesterday for $40 not knowing if it worked, today I bought new plugs and a fuel tank for it, and just happened that I had the right fuel filter for it as well, so I replaced that. I mounted it on the back of the boat, and put it in a big tub of water, primed it up, gave it a few pulls and low and behold it started! However, I noticed that the shifter was not moving really at all, so with a little elbow grease I got it moving. Now it moves very easily and does not feel like it's catching anything at all, and the motor runs and pushes water towards the back of the boat, clearly running in reverse, and no matter what I do with the shifter, it stays running the same way. Could anyone tell me exactly what might be going wrong and/or point me to a good website or book with step by step info on how to repair this??? I have worked on a few small engines before, but not a lot, and never on a boat motor, cars are more my thing... I don't have enough money to buy a nicer or newer engine, so if there is a way to repair this that would be fantastic, otherwise I think I'll be fishing in reverse this season...

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

Best guess is, When you applied the "elbow grease" the shift rod broke. Thats why it moves to easy, and stays in reverse now.
Tear it down and find the broken part, repair as nessary.

 

[sublime_net]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

I was worried about something like that, not sure why it wouldn't move in the first place... Anything I should know when taking it apart?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

Either the brass shift connector that connects the upper and lower shift rod together has pulled apart (at the joint where the lower unit bolts up), OR.......

The shift linkage has broken on the hidden portion of the shift lever shaft (just under the powerhead), OR.......

Someone has removed that philips screw from the lower unit skeg at one time. That screw is a log shoulder bolt type screw which is actually the pivot point for the internal lower unit shift lever.

NOTE: Never shift INTO gear unless the engine is running or you are spinning the prop by had. This is needed to align the shifter dog lobes with the gear lobes.

 

[sublime_net]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

Ok, well it was not running when I gave it my bit of elbow grease, so that was probably not good either, any suggestions on the best way to go about getting this fixed?

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

I cant really help on the How Too's
but here is an exploded parts list.

Evinrude/Johnson

 

[ecogenie]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

Either the brass shift connector that connects the upper and lower shift rod together has pulled apart (at the joint where the lower unit bolts up), OR.......

The shift linkage has broken on the hidden portion of the shift lever shaft (just under the powerhead), OR.......

Someone has removed that philips screw from the lower unit skeg at one time. That screw is a log shoulder bolt type screw which is actually the pivot point for the internal lower unit shift lever.

NOTE: Never shift INTO gear unless the engine is running or you are spinning the prop by had. This is needed to align the shifter dog lobes with the gear lobes.

Okay what if you shift into gears without the motor running? What happens and what could go wrong? I did this without knowing what I was doing. The person told me that he needs to get it into nutral before he can work on it. Is there a nutral and if so where is it. There is a stop, start, shift, fast, slow but no nutral. Kind of thinking he is not familar with this motor. What is your suggestion that we must do? He is trying to get a blue arc from the plug.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

2 year old thread...............................
Nothing bad happens if you shift gears without the motor running. The shift lever is on the side of the motor. If the guy working on it does not know this, then he shouldn't be working on the motor.

 

[ecogenie]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

2 year old thread...............................
Nothing bad happens if you shift gears without the motor running. The shift lever is on the side of the motor. If the guy working on it does not know this, then he shouldn't be working on the motor.

One more thing. Looking at the motor as if you are sitting in the boat is the handle on the right and the forward and reverse lever on the left side of the motor. Would the nutral be on the lever on the left or on the handle on the right? Or do we even need to have it in nutral???

 

[ecogenie]

Re: 1968 Johnson 6hp only runs in reverse?

2 year old thread...............................
Nothing bad happens if you shift gears without the motor running. The shift lever is on the side of the motor. If the guy working on it does not know this, then he shouldn't be working on the motor.

One more thing is there a nutral and where would it be?