1972 Evinrude Triumph Shifting Issues

[SnickerBocker]

To begin, I have no experience with anything that has to do with boating, so forgive me if I don't understand boating lingo. I have experience and knowledge about what makes engines run, how they work, and stuff like that, so I'm not completely hopeless. And finally I'm not afraid to ask questions.

The engine in question: 1972 Evinrude Triumph, 65 Horsepower 3cyl. Model: 65273S Selectric Hydro-Electric Shift

The story: My grandfather bought a boat, I don't know the year but it's a Larson, anyway he got the boat, and it had no engine, so he found the 72' Triumph and I'm not sure who installed it, I assume he did as he is knowledgeable about boats. He has had it for a number of years but as time passed he used it less and less until about 3 - 5 years ago it quit shifting and would only go forwards. So just this year, a month ago really, he was looking to get rid of the boat, and I was looking to buy one, so obviously a deal was made.

What I Have Learned: The basic engine info, such as the power, year, and that it is a Hydro-Electric Shift, and how that works. Apparently there are 2 Solenoids, one with a blue wire and one with a green, when just one is activated it is in neutral, when both are activated it will go to reverse, and I understand the engine needs to be turning for the oil pressure to move the dogs.

Where you friendly people come in: I have looked up the issue on google alot, and there has been alot of information about it, people saying change the bottom end fluid, maybe it was contaminated or the wrong type, and check the solenoids with amp ratings and ohm ratings and the like. So I have a multimeter and I know how to use it, but the things I have read are having people take the knife connector for the solenoids off at the power head, which I cannot find. If I have to disassemble the unit, so be it, I have tools, and I have space, I just don't know what to do and how to do it. I have a shop manual for Evinrude Engines that I believe covers my model.

To sum it up: I have a 1972 Evinrude, 65hp Hydro-Electric Transmission (if that's what they're called in boats) that stays in forward (which I understand to be a safety mechanism).

Any help would be appreciated, and if I need to clear things up or elaborate more I definitely will, once again I have no boating experience, so I don't know what I need to say or what I've left out that could be helpful. Once again thank you in advance.

Things I have done:
Changed Bottom End Gear Oil, C - Rated
Tried to figure out where wires go

and that's it.

 

[willy007]

Re: 1972 Evinrude Triumph Shifting Issues

These motors are sort of tricky but work great... when they work. Have you tried running the motor at all since you have had it? By default, when the motor is off it is in the forward position. You are correct with the solenoids, there are two and one is for neutral and both are needed to engage reverse. The solenoids move the oil passageways I the lower unit allowing the oil pressure to shift into neutral & reverse. The motor must be running, or at least cranking over, to build up this pressure to shift. It would be a good idea to drain the oil in the lower unit to at least get an idea of the condition... Check if there are any metal shavings or if the oil is milky as it would indicate water intrusion which would disable the shifting as the electric components would short out. That motor requires a "Type C" oil that is thinner like a hydraulic oil and is non-conductive, The "knife" connections are on the left side of the motor just above the exhaust housing. They are protected by a rubber sleeve that you will have to pull back to expose the connectors.

 

[SnickerBocker]

Re: 1972 Evinrude Triumph Shifting Issues

So today I backed the boat into water finally, and fortunately it started right up which made me very glad. It started in forward like it's supposed to I then tried shifting it with the pushbuttons and it would change gears to reverse I believe, I only say reverse because the propeller was still spinning and I couldn't tell which direction it was spinning. The engine sounded like there was no load after the thunk ( which happened when I pressed the reverse button) but like I said the propeller was still spinning. The neutral and forward buttons still make it go forward which leads me to believe that the reverse button is activating both solenoids where the other 2 are activating no solenoids. Any comments or questions or suggestions would be much appreciated because I don't know where to go from here.

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1972 Evinrude Triumph Shifting Issues

You need to check the voltage from the shift switch to the lower unit. Slide the rubber tubes off of the knife connectors at the engine, have someone turn the ignition key to ON and shift the switch. Neutral=voltage on green wire. Forward=voltage on neither wire. Reverse=voltage on both wires. If the voltage checks are OK, the problem is in the wire harness going down to the lower unit or the solenoids in the lower unit.
Back in the day I have seen the pump/solenoids get stickey and not operate properly. We used to drain and fill the lower unit with ATF and run it on a hose and try and flush the lower unit, sometimes it would help and sometimes it didn't.