1973 Johnson electric shift

[Frank Acampora]

I have just acquired a 1973 Johnson 65 horsepower electric shift on the resto that I am about to start. The lower unit is locked in forward gear with a dead battery. Hooked up a fresh battery and the lower will not come out of gear. I have heard that these lowers default to forward if they lose power so, any ideas on how to shift it? Buttons on the control will not shift it with key on or off. Engine is not running. Does it need to be running before the shift will work?

BTW: this engine is not going to be worked on I simply want to sell it and want to say that it shifts. What is is worth in its current condition? Should I just say WTH and scrap it?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

well Frank, what is the Model#???? you either have a 1972 or earlier, motor. 1972 was the last year of the hydro-electric shift.

1973 is the hydro- mechanical shift.

HYDRO-ELECTRIC SHIFT

________________________________________
(Hydro Electric Shift) (J. Reeves) The shifting setup of the lower unit is what's called a "Hydro Electric Shift", which is quite complex consisting of voltage being applied to solenoids in the lower unit which in turn change oil passages via a oil pump that supplies various pressure on a spring loaded shifter dog. The wires leading to the lower unit (at the powerhead) are "Green" and "Blue". The engine must be running or cranking over in order to shift out of forward gear. You CAN NOT use HI VIS lube in that lower unit. You MUST USE what OMC calls "Preminum Blend" lube, commonly called "Type C". (A thinner lube) In neutral, you need 12v to the "Green" wire. In reverse, you need 12v to both wires, the "Green" one and the "Blue" one. In forward, there should be no voltage to either wire. (The spring loaded shifter dog forces the unit into forward gear) To check the lower unit for proper shifting to make sure you have no trouble there, remove the spark plugs to avoid problems and to allow a higher cranking speed. This next step eliminates the actual shift switch in case problems may exist there.... Disconnect the blue & green wires at the knife connectors (the rubber insulated boots) leading to the lower unit at the powerhead, then using jumpers, take voltage direct from the starter solenoid to apply voltage to the "Green" wire for neutral, then both wires 'Green" & "Blue" for reverse (Remember the engine must be cranking over in order to shift). With no voltage applied, the unit should be in forward. No need for a ground jumper... the lower unit's already grounded. You may crank the engine with the key switch or by energizing the starter solenoid with a jumper wire.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Check your model number as there were no electric or electric-hydraulic shift motors in 1973.

Chances are yours is a '72. The clutch dog was spring loaded into forward gear when at rest. It takes 12 volts on the green shift wire and the motor running or at least cranking over fast enough to shift into neutral as it has to build up hydraulic pressure to do the shifting.

Reverse requires power to both the green and the blue wires with the motor running.

 

[TN-25]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

The emblems on the cowling look like it is a 1972 (very subtle difference between that & a '73). If the steering cable passes through the motor's transom bracket and uses a bracket to the steering pivot on the motor. 1972 & prior anchored the steering cable to the boat's transom. BTW, that lower unit appears to be dark green, a 1971 and earlier trait. I wonder if it is a 1968/69 55 horse or a 1970/71 60 horse? Model numbers apply here.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

OK! I made an assumption and you know what assume does. The engine is on a 1973 hull so I figured that it was a 73. Emblems definitely say 65 horsepower on the side and on the rear of the cover "hydro-electric shift." Hull is titled as 73 and that color was only 73, so perhaps it was a 73 model manufactured late 72 and the earlier engine installed.

I'm not at the location of the boat so I can't give the engine model number. Additionally, during a compression test, the starter crapped out so I doubt I will be doing much testing on this engine.

By the way: P.O. had heavy stranded copper wire wrapped around the sparkplug shells and grounded to the block. Did these engines have a problem with the heads grounding to the block that he tried to remedy?

 

[TN-25]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

OK! I made an assumption and you know what assume does...

+
Good one

I just reread what I posted and it appears that the cat roaming around in front of me on my desk was un-nerving me more than I thought.
Steering cable anchored on the motor: 1973 & later; steering cable anchored on the boat, 1972 & prior. An exception is the rare short shaft version (15"), which carried on in later years with the boat anchored steering cable (your boat uses the long 20" shaft).

I love those Glastron GT150s!

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

To answer the question,if it is really a hydro-electric gearcase, yes it does need to be running to shift out of fwd. The lower unit also needs Type C gear oil, not the regular 85-90W.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Well, yesterday afternoon I was able to crank it over. It has 150 psi on all three cylinders with Heli-coil plug inserts, but even by jumping 12 volts to the green wire I was not able to get it into neutral.

Since my intention is to sell this engine, again, I ask: What is it worth complete with controls, two poor props, and tank? What would be a good starting point or reserve on the auctions? Couple of hundred bucks? More? Less? Note that it is in decent shape cosmetically, not great but not too shabby either.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

OMC only made a three cylinder 65hp motor for two years - 1972 and 1973. If its hydro-electric rather than hydro-mechanical, its a 1972.

If the solenoids in the gearcase are shot, or the wiring harness in the midsection is bad, I'd sell the motor for parts. With a 150 psi in the cylinders, the powerhead is probably worth more than the rest of the motor, assuming that it doesn't have some other major flaw.

If you sell it whole, expect to get about $100, maybe a little more, if you are lucky. If you take it apart and sell that way, you might get a few hundred for the usable parts. If the powerpack and timer base are original parts, they aren't worth much. The original stators on the '72 are pretty durable, and your may be fine, even if it is not a replacement item.

These are great motors if they have been kept in good shape, but they can be money pits, if you have one with multiple problems.

Speaking of which, I need to get off of this 'puter and run mine out to my crab traps!


PS: Don't forget that the motor has to be running and generating hydraulic pressue in the gear case to shift! Just applying voltage to a non running motor won't tell you anything. I'll try to get back in here this evening, after looking up the "multimeter tests" for your motor, so that you can do an actual test on your solenoids.



???

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Frank, I still owe you a post - I ended up getting in late last night, because I towed a large inboard to a harbor and it was slow going. To be honest, by the time I ran an errand after retrieiving my boat, eating a late supper and settling in at home, I forgot!

I'll get to you today.



???

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

if hydro electric shift, and the shift solenoid are bad, or the shift harness, it is 95 % a parts motor. if the shift switch in the control is bad, that can be work around with a special toggle system.

 

[ezeke]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Hey Frank, why not get the numbers off the plate on the port transom bracket and post them so that we know what you have?

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Here's the procedure for testing your shift solenoids.

Testing Shift Solenoids

a. Neutral solenoid ? connect low reading DC ammeter between between green leads at (1)
b. Shift in neutral position ? key switch on.
c. Ammeter should read 1.5 ? 2.0 amps for ten minutes.
d. If reading too high or low ? solenoid should be replaced.
e. Repeat test at (2) between blue leads. Use same test values and procedures.
f. Ohmmeter Test (key off) ? connect meter between green lead and ground and ten blue lead and ground. Low Ohms scale should show 5 ? 6 ohms.

Note: The "1" is parenthesis indicates the blade connectors at the port side of the motor, at the lower cowl & under the exhaust cover/plates.



???

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Thanks, Guys. Been busy the last couple of days. As I said, I have no intention of using the engine and simply wanted to see if I could get it out of forward gear. It is a nice engine but with no power tilt/trim and just too small for that GT150. I think I will part it out and see what it will bring.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Frank, just a suggestion - do the multimeter tests on the solenoids. If they are good, they are worth something, even if the gearcase has other problems. In particular, the lower solenoid is an NLA item, so you could probably get a good buck for it.

Also, check the gear oil for water - that is what usually makes the solenids in the hydro-electric gearcases go bad. If there is none, but the the oil looks a bit on the funky side (how about that "technical term"), you may have a problem with the piston sticking. Some people recommend putting ATF in these gearboxes, to clean them out. I did a bunch of research to see which ones are compatible - basically they are the Dexron II, Dexron III and Mercon ATFs. I am currently using "Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF" in my '72 J65.


???

 

[DJacksonRN]

Re: 1973 Johnson electric shift

Lifelong listener, first time caller.....

You guys are awesome. I'm picking up a 73 Johnson 65 on Sunday, sitting for a year on a "project" that the owner had no business buying. It "needs a starter", so I was not able to check compression before agreeing to purchase for the whopping sum of $125. I pulled the plugs and rotated the prop by hand to ensure it was not locked up. Rotated just fine. I could not figure out how to get it into neutral, and now I know why! I'll be back tomorrow to read more. Just learning some ropes here, got one of the last carbed J90 looper's up and running last year and learned a lot doing so. Saw this '73 and thought it deserved a look. I'll post along the way, as I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions. No T+T on this unit, but I'm a "less is more" kind of guy. Strangely (saw the post fr the guy who originally was looking to put this on a GT), looking at a couple of Glastrons and Bajas to put this on, not looking for much speed, probably stick to 16 or less feet to get it on plane, just want something smaller that I can launch myself instead of our Grady, which is too big for river running. Not letting the Grady go, just looking to add another member to the family.....