Hydroelectric Solenoids

[Joe Reeves]

I put voltage to the purple wire and no heat, but saw the brief spark at connection. The green wire wants to weld if I touch voltage to it. I must have missed something. A solenoid would be the easy fix, but is there a way to tell if it's not the leg of the oil pump?

There is no purple wire unless someone rewired the unit... it would always be "Blue" & "Green". The problem is simple... either that green wire is shorted to ground somewhere or the solenoid is shorted internally. The lower unit needs to be dropped in order to find out which is the case.

 

[Paulywog0667]

I finally got a new solenoid in. I'll drop the gear assembly tomorrow. I recall a potential cut in the sheathing of the blue/purple wire solenoid (dirty at the powerhead), but might not have sealed it good. The arch is on the other wire up top though. I went and grabbed some heat shrink waterproof connectors, but might need to find a 3m 2part splice kit. Worst case, spent ~$40.00 for a spare solenoid.

Grabbed two new ignition coils from the hose falling off last year and overheating too. Should be ready for after this next Lake Erie storm with walleye and steelhead by shore.

 

[Paulywog0667]

I made progress with the outboard, but limited in knowing what the solenoids should be doing. I took off the voltage regulator/rectifier and got spark back to the plugs. Without doing much, figured drop the gear assembly and found a nasty shred and a nick in a wire. Fixed those, replaced two ignition coils and no more welded wires with 12v! Now with a quick dry crank, no voltage to green and blue, and the prop spins clockwise, voltage to green and it spins faster, voltage to both or blue and still clockwise. Are those something that a dry crank wouldn't show or allow the shift to neutral/reverse?

 

[Paulywog0667]

Not certain if the metal block at the bottom of the solenoid rod needs to face a certain direction or if a simple square in a square slot too? I have a spare solenoid, but the prop spinning faster with voltage to green was odd.

 

[Joe Reeves]

I made progress with the outboard, but limited in knowing what the solenoids should be doing. I took off the voltage regulator/rectifier and got spark back to the plugs. Without doing much, figured drop the gear assembly and found a nasty shred and a nick in a wire. Fixed those, replaced two ignition coils and no more welded wires with 12v! Now with a quick dry crank, no voltage to green and blue, and the prop spins clockwise, voltage to green and it spins faster, voltage to both or blue and still clockwise. Are those something that a dry crank wouldn't show or allow the shift to neutral/reverse?

Dry Crank?..... You're trying to get that unit to shift without the gearcase lube?... Never happen! Think why there's a oil pump in that unit.

 

[Paulywog0667]

Dry Crank?..... You're trying to get that unit to shift without the gearcase lube?... Never happen! Think why there's a oil pump in that unit.

I meant haven't synced the carburetors and it's turning, but not starting.

 

[racerone]

One solenoid operates a valve lever with the pin sticking through the other lever.-----Orientation of the " square " does NOT matter.-----Propshaft will often turn forward in neutral simply because of " oil drag " on the bearings.----With voltage to both solenoids it should be in REVERSE.------Time to look at this system again.-------It really is a simple system when you take time to understand how it works.

 

[Paulywog0667]

I went to the outboard with a starter solenoid jumper. Voltage to the neutral solenoid gives it a free spin look, no voltage and seems speed of the drive shaft, while voltage to both seems grabby. I'm guessing the motor not actually running might be why.

Places wanted $200+ for new controls. I bought a new on/off/on toggle and 5 relays for around $10, I can rewire the horn and have two extra relays.

 

[racerone]

With 12 volts applied to the green wire the motor gearcase will shift to neutral after 1 turn of the flywheel !!----Shifts to reverse after 2 turns with voltage to both wires.------That is the way I test them on the work bench before installing on the motor !-------I turn the driveshaft with the special socket and ratchet wrench.-----Works every time.

 

[Paulywog0667]

With 12 volts applied to the green wire the motor gearcase will shift to neutral after 1 turn of the flywheel !!----Shifts to reverse after 2 turns with voltage to both wires.------That is the way I test them on the work bench before installing on the motor !-------I turn the driveshaft with the special socket and ratchet wrench.-----Works every time.

I'll probably drop the gear assembly one more time and check everything is lined up. I pulled the wires back and having the relays on a toggle makes everything at the outboard. I might even take the extra relays and make a portable test panel.

 

[Paulywog0667]

Here's the wiring with relay model for an on/off/on toggle with the 71-72 hydro-electric. Couple alligator clips to the outboard knife connectors or connected. Basically the neutral solenoid gets the wht. to grn. and toggle forward takes away 12v. from wht., and toggle back restores 12v. neutral and adds blue 12v. reverse. Toggle off keeps 12v., to the neutral solenoid.

I'll probably take plywood and make a maintenance ignition and shift panel to alleviate needing a second person at the outboard while turning the key.

 

[DWM76]

Have you tested the solenoids yet? In my, admittedly limited, experience if there has been water intrusion at any time the solenoid wires may have some corrosion. Corrosion = resistance = heat.

The solenoid body grounds to the housing so if you cleaned it up and there is good contact ground shouldn't be an issue...assuming the solenoid is good.

 

[Paulywog0667]

There's only three options. Something not aligned, the oil pump isn't listening, or new gears and clutch dog spring are a bit much for an old oil pump. There's change in propeller behavior, but even assembling, the solenoids and rod didn't seem aligned right. The propeller should not spin in neutral aggressively, and not spin the same direction in reverse as forward. I made a 2 relay/toggle shift switch I can apply voltage and spin the drive shaft without wrestling a battery and starting the motor. I have an extra solenoid. It's more a pain becouse I have a motor stand, but always have to balance the gear assembly. I should probably make a stand. It has a new clutch-dog spring too.