Re: 55 Evenrude
I see that you have no less than 3 threads started. It would be less confusing to answer if you keep it all together.
To answer one of the previous ones, the motor will always be in forward gear when not running. That's the way it's made.
The motor is actually shifted by hydraulic pressure. The shift switch in the remote control sends voltage to one or both of two solenoids in the lower unit. The solenoids, when activated, close one or both of two oil control valves. When one or both valves is closed, oil pressure is applied to a piston that moves a clutch dog sliding between the forward and reverse gears which are rotating in opposite directions.
When the motor is not running, there is no oil pressure because the pump is not turning. Therefor, the piston which has a spring behind it, moves into forward gear position. Likewise, when running and there is no electric voltage from the shift switch in the control, the valves are not closed and the piston is pushed into forward gear postion.
We haven't even gotten into the reason for the mysterious diaphragm switch and those even more mysterious "monkey balls" in the wiring harness. Save that for another day. Enough confusion for one day.
Edit: Only one "monkey ball" in the '68.
