Propellor turns when starting engine after impellor change

[picman59]

Is it normal for the propeller to spin while cranking the motor? I replaced an impellor and now this happening.

I have been told so many things about removing the lower unit that I do not know what to believe. Does the shift lever need to be in foward at time of lower unit removal or when it is put back together?

I was checking a no spark issue when the moving propellor brushed my leg. I will be posting questions on that issue later.

I have a Johnson Model 60ESL70B. It uses two solenoids for shifting instead of a rod. The battery was removed before removal of the lower unit.

Thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Propellor turns when starting engine after impellor change

you have a hydro electric shift, yes it is normal, i always suggest removing the prop when working on the motor.

 

[F_R]

Re: Propellor turns when starting engine after impellor change

I wonder how you know it has solenoids? Did you take them out?

Nevertheless, it is actually shifted by hydraulic pressure. The solenoids only operate a pair of oil flow control valves. Since it is hydraulic pressure that shifts it, the motor has to be running to develop the oil pressure. Until then, it defaults to forward gear.

However, a couple of revolutions at cranking speed normally is enough to shift it to neutral--while it is cranking.

 

[picman59]

Re: Propellor turns when starting engine after impellor change

When I dropped the lower unit to rebuild the water pump, I could see the wires that led to the cover over the solenoids. As there was not enough wire length to remove the motor shaft completely, I removed the cover and removed the solenoids. I supported the soleniods (or thought I did-the top one pulled free), completed my water pump repair, repaired (or so I thought, the soleniod wire) and reassmbled the lower unit. The motor would not fire that night. Came back to it the next day to redo the repair to the soleniod wire. I was not comfortable with the way I had done it the first time. After complete, I hit the key and the motor at least tried to fire. This was out of the tank.

Came back to it the next night, put it into the tank and she will not fire. No spark on any plug-even with brand new plug.

I will have to start a new post to discuss possibilities there.

Was not sure if the motor should actually fire if the motor was in gear. By the way, the propellor was turning everytime I tried to get it to run. Maybe my repair to the solenoid is not really a repair. But at about $120.00 for a new one, I had nothing to lose.

So, as this is a hydroelectic shift, the gear shift lever does not need to be in forward at lower unit removal or install? If I was working on a unit that has the shift shaft, would that change?

 

[F_R]

Re: Propellor turns when starting engine after impellor change

You do not have to remove the solenoids to drop the lower unit. Disconnect the knife connectors at the top and go ahead an drop the unit down. The cable pulls out of the hole at the top. Oh, yeah, tie a string on the cable before lowering it, so you can pull it back up when reinstalling. And apply some oil to the sealing area of the cable.

Anyhoo, you might not have gotten the solenoid plungers seated in the valve levers. It would be difficult to do it in such tight quarters.

The shift has nothing to do with the ignition system other than sharing the same battery. It does not have to be in neutral to have spark.

 

[picman59]

Re: Propellor turns when starting engine after impellor change

Thanks. I just wanted to make sure this was not some bass ackwards nuetral safety switch.

Sounds like I will be having fun getting the solenoids back in correctly. I have a manual on order. Hopefully it will show the correct positions so that it is not a trial and error method.