This my first time on this forum. I am thinking about buying an older boat from a friend, the price is right and the boat is in great shape. It has a 50hp Evinrude Lark engine with electric shift.
My only concern is the electric shift. My friend said it has always worked fine until we took the boat out today. It didn't want to shift into neutral. When we idled the engine down and shifted it into neutral it would slip in and out of the forward gear without pushing the button and then it got where it wouldn't go into neutral at all.
Is there a simple fix, like cleaning the contact points on the push buttons. Should I back away from buying the boat because of potential future problems with the electric shift. Are parts still availible for this engine and the shift mechanism?
I like the boat and it's a steal. This will be my first boat and it will let me know if I really want to own a boat without investing a pot full of money.
Thanks for your help.
Jayhawkokie
Beautiful Grand Lake O' the Cherokees, Oklahoma
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You don't say what the model number of the engine is or the year. However, since it is a 50 hp, any electric shift would have to be the Hydro Electric Shift model.
Your problem could simply be that the lower unit has the wrong (HiVis) gear lube in it. That unit requires what is called Preminum Blend, also known as Type C, available only at your local Evinrude/Johnson dealership.
As Tash states, most parts are no longer available, and unless you can buy the boat at a fair price and have the engine thrown in as a bonus, it's probably best to walk away from it.
Too much fear of the Hydro-Electric shifts. The two major problems are lack of care (oil) and the push button switch. The switches are hard to find and expensive. You also can use a Johnson control. Their switches are also expensive, but don't seem to cause as much trouble.
If you are going to trash the motor, dump it in my front yard.
Samo, converting it to manual shift would require an act of Congress.
Thanks for the information. The engine model # is 50273C, I think it was manufactured in the late 70s. My friend inherited the boat from his Father in law, he's selling it to me for $800.00 if I decide to buy it.
It has always been well maintained and is clean as a pin. It's a 16' Kingfisher, comes with an almost new trolling motor and depthfinder/fish locator. If I thought it could be converted to manual shift in case the electric shift is crap I might go ahead and buy the boat. The engine runs like a clock otherwise.
He did have a problem with it shifting into reverse a couple years ago and the mechanic discovered he put in the wrong oil in the lower unit.
it a 1972 hydro-electric shift. it could just be a dirty corroded connection. if it is the switch, Joe has a way of making one with a toggle switch, but it does not have the neutral safety switch. but i came up with using a push button, that you have to push, before you start, that remind you to check that it is in neutral.
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I watch ebay and I see the electric shift conrol boxes quiet often, sometime with the wiring harness. I have a electric shift. I was able to get a spare engine, boat , trailor and controls for 300. I have done sold the trailor and just about got my money back. I kind of like the push buttons. It reminds me of a old 57 plymouth I had when I was a kid
We're going to change the oil in the lower unit to make sure it has the right vis and see if that corrects the problem. The oil in the lower unit has been changed religously every year since the engine was new. It's basically a one owner engine, it was passed on to my friend a couple years ago. I haven't committed to buying the boat. If I do, I may need to get ahold of Joe to find out how he converts the unit to a toggle switch.
This is really a nice little boat and I feel the price is right, I just wish it had a different engine. I like to tinker and it would be fun to "explore" the electric shift.
Evinrude Lark Electric Shift Question
Linear Mode
