??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Can I shift my 1974 115 hp Johnson by hand by moving shift lever and bell crank with shift cable unattached and without the motor running? Had the boat out yesterday. I just put the motor on it after removing it from another boat. Motor wouldn't shift into forward...handle moved ok but motor just revved up, wouldn't go into gear. I am thinking I may have messed up the cable linkage adjustment when moving the motor since both throttle and shift cables were unhooked. Just wondering if I remove shift cable and try to shift manually if it will shift without the motor running? I know there is some sort of hydraulic assist so I'm thinking the motor may have to be running...BUT I can't find my water muffs right now

 

[Dhadley]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

Yes, you can shift it by hand, no problem. If the motor is not running just move the propshaft a little while you shift.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

Once again...Thanks for the amazingly quick reply. I will soon be going out to check the motor out, and not having to find the muffs...drag the hose out.... make a small pond on the yard which will probably freeze tonight will make the job easier. I searched on here last night and think from info I found I can check cable adjustment. I am hoping that's all it is. I can't remember exactly what I did when reconnecting the cables, but I remember they came apart a lot easier than they re-connected.

 

[ezeke]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

The barrel swivel at the top of the shift rod is the only adjustment for the shift rod itself. It should be no more than two turns up from gently seated with the flat facing the drive shaft.

If the nylon bushing is missing from the hole in the barrel swivel, it will be very difficult to set the linkage to work correctly.

The gearcase is hydraulically assisted, so make sure that the case is filled with high viscosity marine gear oil.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

I was told this motor worked as it should when I purchased it last spring. Bought it as boat/motor/trailer package at a very good price. Previous owner seemed honest enough for me. Told me the motor was ok but the boat had a bad transom and boat leaked which were not all obvious on limited inspection but turned out to be true. So I am hoping the motor/shifting is good.
Finally put it on another boat a few weeks ago and just took it out for first time a few days ago. I checked L/U oil before going out and added a little and noticed what came out before I got the filler nozzle in was a little dirty but didn't look bad for used oil.
I didn't touch anything on the shift rod adjustment, just seem to remember messing with the shift and cable rod ends a little to get them re-attached.
I still have the cables attached as of right now. I'm going to go out and try shifting again with control box handle and I'm assuming it won't go into gear again. Then I'm going to disconnect shift cable and try shifting manually to see if it will go into gear. I'm hoping thats all it is since I noticed the shift lever and linkage didn't seem to be moving very much when I tried shifting at the lake. Plus I'm an eternal optimist
If that doesn't work.....I'll probably be back on here asking for help again.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

You did definitely clarify one thing for me Ezeke. I read about the adjustment you were talking about on here last night and for some reason I thought they were referring to the end of the shift CABLE. I couldn't remember any type of adjustment like that on the end of the cable and was a little confused. So now I am at least clear that the adjustment is on the shift ROD. Hopefully I won't have to go that far.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

Now I'm stumped. I went out and shifted motor into forward with control box handle and when I tried to spin the prop by hand it acted as if it were in gear.

Put it back into neutral with handle and prop spins freely. Did this several times and it acted the same way each time.

Motor appears to shift into gear while not running and sitting in driveway.

Any suggestions?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

(Centering Shift Cable)
(J. Reeves)

When all is as it should be, the proper method to adjust the shift cable is to disconnect the cable from the engine. Move the shift linkage on the engine to find the center of the play in neutral, and when found, leave it centered.

Now, grab the end of the shift cable sleeve, push and pull it to find the center of the play there, and center that play.

Adjust the trunion on the threaded portion of the shift cable so that the centered play of the cable lines up with the centered play of the engine's shift linkage. Install and lock the shift cable with the retaining clamp in that position. That's it.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

Just got back in after doing a little more tinkering. It seems the motor appears to go into gear when shifted with the control box handle, but if I apply a little pressure to the prop it will "jump a tooth" then lock in again until more pressure is applied causing it to jump again etc etc...

I can push the shift lever on the motor by hand about 1/4" more forward after shifting with the control box handle and this seems to lock it in gear...no more jumping if I apply pressure to prop.

Seems it may be needing the adjustment in your last paragraph Joe. But I am a little confused about it.

Can someone tell me how to adjust the trunnion nut (pictured). Not sure of the proper adjustment and don't want to make things worse.

Is the nut used for adjustment after installation or just to adjust the cable when attaching to shift lever?

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

After more tinkering...... The motor does the same thing when shifted into reverse. It will jump unless I push the shift lever on the motor back more by hand. It seems I just need a little longer push and pull by cable when shifting with control box lever. I can't figure out how to do this unless there is an adjusment in the control box itself?? I didn't really want to go in there unless I had to.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

Sorry, I don't think I can make the shift cable centering adjustment procedure any clearer.

As Zeke has mntioned above (If the nylon bushing is missing from the hole in the barrel swivel)....... Check that possibility closely. If that nylon bushing is missing, there is no way you'll be able to get that shifting to function properly. Disconnect the cables and check this by moving the shift linkages by hand.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

I inspected the motor looking for the nylon bushing at the top of the shift rod. I couldn't see very well in there since it was in the middle of the motor right under the bottom carb, but could not see a bushing.

Should I be able to see it without any dissasembly? If I should be able to see it, it is missing.

Either way, it is something I will inspect further when doing my planned winter carb overhaul.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

You may not be able to see it when the unit is assembled BUT you would be able to see play in the linkage right where the two long linkages connect to the barrel top portion of the shift rod. There should be no play at all.

If play exists, the bushing is missing.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

Thanks again....I'll check it out again tomorrow. I guess I will probably replace it anyway when I have the carbs off for their winter rebuild. Another thing to add to the to-do list for this motor. Sure hope I can find the list when I start tearing it apart.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

Just wanted to end this post by adding the motor appears to be fixed. Thanks to Joe Reeves and all others who posted.

I checked the shift cable alignment and I must have turned the trunnion nuts when I re-installed the cables. Didn't realize it would affect shifting.

I took the cable off and re-installed the correct way as per Joe Reeves. Had to adjust the trunnion nuts to get the cable ends to line up correctly. Motor seems to shift just fine now in driveway.

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL

 

[vertjan]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

I have a rude that I purchased last year. The wires were brittle and looked as if someone started to try retape some of them. Well, they were separated from one another and before I got the motor we started it,and it sounded like a champ! So I figured I could handle it from there. I took it home and simply retaped all the brittle wires. Looked good. There were a few that did not go to anything. Took it to the water, started it up, it was in gear, FOWARD, But it ran like a champ, the speedometer showed 40-41. Well now I am tring to figure out where are the wires that come from the gears below(Electric shift) I see 2 black wires coming up from bottom on the left side of the powerhead as I traced them they are not hook to anything, since then I have purchased another electricshift throttle thinking this was my problem. when I do get it in where does these two wires from the lower end on the side of the powerhead connect to on the shifter end.
Vertjan

 

[ezeke]

Re: ??? about 1974 115hp HYDRO-MECH shift

To vertjan: First, the motor is not from 1974; the last electric shift was 1972.

There are different electric shift systems/controls, so it would be helpful to get the model number off the motor and post it here on a new thread.