67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

[wavewrangler]

i have a 67 johnson 40hp electromatic super seahorse. when i try to put it in reverse theres a grinding noise and the motor dies. when i take the plugs out and spin the flywheel with the shifter in reverse the prop spins in reverse, although it takes some force to get it to spin. i have forward all day long and no problems there. any info would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

[Daviet]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

Is there any metal particles in the lower unit oil?
Check the voltage from the shift switch and make sure it isn't trying to go into forward/reverse at the same time, if the switch is OK, you are going to have to open up the lower unit and see if there is some spring/hub damage for the reveres gear.

 

[wavewrangler]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

Is there any metal particles in the lower unit oil?
Check the voltage from the shift switch and make sure it isn't trying to go into forward/reverse at the same time, if the switch is OK, you are going to have to open up the lower unit and see if there is some spring/hub damage for the reveres gear.

i havent seen any metal shavings or anything like that. the lower unit oil was milky today when i checked it tho. i just took it out sat and it ran fine in forward although it didnt seem like i was getting all the power out of it that i should. could this also be a result of spring/hub damage? also should the prop spin freely when in neutral?

 

[Daviet]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

Yes, the prop should spin freely in neutral.

 

[wavewrangler]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

i havent seen any metal shavings or anything like that. the lower unit oil was milky today when i checked it tho. i just took it out sat and it ran fine in forward although it didnt seem like i was getting all the power out of it that i should. could this also be a result of spring/hub damage? also should the prop spin freely when in neutral?

also i know the milky oil means i'm getting water in somewhere. are there certain places that i should be looking that are the most common points of failure that cause water to get in the lower unit?

 

[wavewrangler]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

i can spin the prop but it doesnt just spin freely and loosely. i actually have to crank it over with some force. i'm sure this cant be good. lol. the motor is on a 15.5ft silverline hull. the motor is a 40hp super sea horse model rkl-29 1967.

 

[Daviet]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

Unless you plan on completely resealing the lower unit you should pressure/vacume test the lower unit to find the leak.
A lot of times the seal washers on the drain/fill screws never get changed and cause a lot of problems letting water in, did you use new seals the last time you changed the lower unit oil?

 

[wavewrangler]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

yeah i put new rubber gaskets in instead of the plastic ones that came out. is that bad? they seem to be holding up well(as far as there are no noticibale leaks) anyone have any links to a repair manuals for this motor? downloadable or book? how much psi should i pressure test it with?

 

[Daviet]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

I usually use anywhere from 12-15 psi to check lower units, make sure to rotate drive/prop shaft while it's under pressure.
The best manual is a factory manual, they cost a little more than the aftermarket manuals, but worth the extra. You can look on E-BAY or google KEN COOK manuals, they have factory reprints. Make sure and use your model number to get the correct manual.

 

[boobie]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

Before you run it again, take the g/c apart and see what's wrong in it before anymore damage is done. They are not that hard to to work on as there's no shiming envolved. But get a good manual first and follow it closely.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

I'd change the lower unit oil asap. The electromatics need good oil to work. You need type C oil. Don't use anything else. At the same time watch for metal shavings when you drain the old oil. And buy the proper O rings at your OMC dealer for the drain and fill screws. They're about $2 each. Buy a bunch while you're there.

 

[wavewrangler]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

i am using omc type c oil in the lower, lucky enough my local marine shop carries it regularly. i've got the lower unit off and found some bad seals which i think is causing the water contamination. checked the gears and found no metal. gears seem to spin freely with the drive shaft out, but as soon as i tighten the four bolts behind the prop, its like everything locks up and i cant turn the prop shaft at all.when i apply voltage to the shifter prop shaft spins fine in forward and reverse. i loosely reassembled everything and still have a problem with the reverse. the elec shifter seems to be working fine. seems like its something mechanical that is causing the problem.

 

[wavewrangler]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

can anyone tell me how to get the prop shaft out? ive gotten all the way to the spring clamp and cant get any farther. scared to try pulling or prying.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: 67 johnson 40hp electromatic reverse grinding

The manual says to remove the snap ring, then a screw that holds the coil wire retaining clamp. then remove the wire retaining clamp. It then says to insert a small punch into the drive pin hole of the prop shaft and tap lightly on the side of the punch pulling the propshaft out of the gearcase enought to dislodge the electromagnet. Then remove the electromagnet being careful not to damage the coil wire, the propshaft should now come out.