Swaped Evinrude 50hp Lower Unit w/ Johnson 60hp BIG PROBLEM!

I have an Evinrude 50hp I think it is a 1975??? (No tags or freeze plug numbers). I also have a Johnson 60hp and I think it is early 80's. The engines look basically the exact same. Even the covers will swap and look the same.
The Johnson 60hp lower unit is in the shop being rebuilt and it is the great running motor (the Evinrude 50hp needs alot of work). I decided to take the lower unit off the Evinrude 50hp and put it on the Johnson 60hp so I could use it over Memorial weekend. It looked the same and bolted on with no problem. I thought for sure it would work fine BUT when I throttle forward it goes in reverse and the reverse throttle goes forward! This of course ruined the weekend at the lake since my forward speed was governed by the reverse throttle stop. I didn't run it long at all. Just wanted to run some new gas through the carbs. I sat for an hour or two and I'm completely puzzled by how this can happen! Can someone please help me! The props both are right turn so the rotation should be the same. What did I do wrong? I would REALLY appreciate some feed back. I don't have a clue what happened.
I'm going to put the rebuilt original lower unit back on next week BUT I'm worried that if I did something wrong and do it again, I will have the same results with it! Is there a difference in the lower units causing the problem or did I do something to cause this? Thanks

Re: Swaped Evinrude 50hp Lower Unit w/ Johnson 60hp BIG PROBLEM!

Obviously the 2 lower units are not compatible.

Check this link out.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=359907

Re: Swaped Evinrude 50hp Lower Unit w/ Johnson 60hp BIG PROBLEM!

Sounds like the exact same situation I just experienced. One of your lower units could be a hydro-mechanical shift, and the other one just straight mechanical shift. Or, you may have your shift/throttle cable connected oposite. (these were both offered as answers to me) If you didn't remove them for the L/U change then I'd lean towards the first.

Not entirely sure if those years/hp were available with hydro-mech L/U but that's EXACTLY what happened to me with identical symptoms. (my motor is a '78 70Hp johnson, L/U came off a '75)

Re: Swaped Evinrude 50hp Lower Unit w/ Johnson 60hp BIG PROBLEM!

Topol_86 said:

Or, you may have your shift/throttle cable connected oposite. (these were both offered as answers to me) If you didn't remove them for the L/U change then I'd lean towards the first.

Click to expand...

That's my guess.

Re: Swaped Evinrude 50hp Lower Unit w/ Johnson 60hp BIG PROBLEM!

The cables were never disconnected and I can see tthat they are hooked up correct.
I still have a hard time seeing how the hydro assist can cause this problem. The shifter rod gets pushed down for forward on a manual or hydro assist lower unit. What would cause it to go into reverse? Does the hydro shift lower units driveshaft turn the opposit way of the manual units? Does the up and down movement of the shifter rod on a hydro assist push the clutch dog in opposit directions of a manual shift? I'm finding it hard to believe that the 2 lower units work opposit of each other. The shift rods both go downward to put it in forward so that can't be the answer.
This is really mind blowing.

Re: Swaped Evinrude 50hp Lower Unit w/ Johnson 60hp BIG PROBLEM!

Some gearcases in the seventies were shifted into forward by pushing the shift rod down and some by pulling it up. Either would work if you have the correct linkage for the gearcase on the engine. The cables don't make any difference because they all work the same way.

Re: Swaped Evinrude 50hp Lower Unit w/ Johnson 60hp BIG PROBLEM!

The '75 50hp lower unit is a hydromechanical shift. The shift pattern is opposite your 60hp lower unit, hence your forward is reverse and reverse is forward problem. It'll rectify itself when you get your rebuilt lower unit back, so don't attempt to "fix" anything with your cables or controls, as they ain't broke...