I don't own an Evinrude control box, but I think it works differently than the Johnson remote control. I believe the neutral safety switch is built into the neutral button on the control. I also don't see a warm up lever in the parts diagram, so I guess you would have to use the throttle.
One possibility that comes to mind, is the automatic choke feature. There is a temperature sensor on the port side on the motor, at the bottom of the head. The wire from it runs around the back of the head and goes to the terminal block, on the starboard side of the powerhead. Per OMC Service Bulletin 1335, this should be disconnected.
What the automatic choke does, is to actuate the choke halfway when the engine is not warmed up. If it is connected and the engine is cold, you are getting some choke, even if you don't press the electric choke switch on the control box. OMC recommended disconnecting the automatic choke, because it was causing engines to run rich at times, thus fouling plugs, etc.
If your sensor is still connected and is reading your engine as cold, even when it is not, you might be getting partial choke at a time when you don't need it. To test this theory, move the manual choke lever to the "off" position and see what happens. You should probably follow the SB below anyway, but certainly do it if this test fixes your problem. Since you really don't need the warmup sensor, I wouldn't bother replacing it - just disconnect the wires as directed and tape the ends off. You can then use small wire ties to neatly secure the loose ends. Don't forget to put a jumper across terminal 7 & 8 - this will enable the choke solenoid to fully choke the motor when you use the toggle switch on the control box.
BTW, the proper terminology for the shift system in your motor is "hydroelectric." I believe that there actually are some control boxes for Evinrude hydroelectric shift motors that say "Selectric" on them, but that's not what your system is. Use of the term "Selectric" is more properly applied to the 40hp electric shift models and a few others. It works very differently from the hydroelectric system and is wired differently, so its important to get the right control unit, should you have to replace yours.
Be aware, also, that the control units for OMC hydroelectric motors prior to 1972, have black plugs, instead of yellow plugs, and are not the same.
On the matter of the engine not cranking when you move the throttle, the movement of the lever could be pulling on a wire inside of the remote control. The wire that would be affected, would be the white one, which is the start circuit. Again, I don't know the Evinrude box well, but I don't think there is anything in it that would would purposely open the start circuit with a small throttle adjustment - it would have to be some unintended situation.
If you open your box, be careful with the shift switches and associated wriring - you can't get these parts anymore.
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Help starting a '72 Evinrude 65hp with Selectric
Linear Mode
