Re: [OMC-Boats] Forward Clutch Won't Engage on Late-1967 3-wire Shifter - Update

From: Andy Perakes <aperakes@...>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:17:09 -0400

Wow, guys, I can't even begin to thank you for all the help that's come in. Short of flying up here and doing it himself, Don sent me just about everything he could offline, right down to a tools and parts list. I tried bidding on the clutch spring Joe pointed out on eBay and after the price jumped past $45 (hope I wasn't bidding against any of you!), I decided I needed to confirm the problem before randomly buying parts. I made a note of the Tacoma parts source Scott sent and expect I'll be checking prices and inventory there before I'm done.

Unfortunately it looks as though my season is not only over, but I have no choice but to tackle this myself. I called the mechanic who usually does my work when I don't have time and he said the part was $422 and labor would run $600 - $1000. By the time you add in seals, lube, provision, etc. it'll probably push the $2k Don was quoted. So my plan is to start by spending a lot of time studying everything I can and collecting tools, then I'll try to get it apart and confirm the problem is the spring tab and not the coil as Lee thinks before tracking down other parts. The boat is now safely in my garage at the lake and once I can get the tools gathered there, its actually a much better place to work than home...at least until it gets cold. If I can't wrap things up before winter, I'll have to try getting the lower gearcase removed and into my basement at home for a winter project. Also on that to do list will be a custom designed ski harness that can't reach the drive! Thanks again, all!

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Lee Shuster
  To: 'Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's'
  Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 12:39 PM
  Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Forward Clutch Won't Engage on Late-1967 3-wire Shifter - Update

  Andy,

  There's another easy way to check electrical operation of the coil. With the ignition key on, but motor not running, shift from neutral to forward and then repeat for reverse.
  You should be able to detect similar current flow for both directions. You can usually observe this a couple of different ways: A) Close obeservation of the ammeter, and I do mean very close. B) Close observation of a light bulb or volt meter, as there should be a barely perceptable voltage drop when the coil engages (this is also a function of state of battery charge, ie a smaller weaker battery, will have a larger voltage drop. I'm guessing (educated) here, but I've never heard of a clutch coil electrical failure due t0 mechanical interference/stoppage. Clutch sping yes, coil no. The "tab" is part of the spring.

  Without access to the special tools, you mention, personally I wouldn't attempt to do the lower unit repairs in the wild. My educated guess is you'll be able to get all the parts back in Detroit. So if it were mine, I'd call it a season and do the repairs with the proper tools and service manuals handy vs on the edge of a lake or back of the trailer. Sorry my news isn't happier.

  Lee

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: omc-boats-bounces@... [mailto:omc-boats-bounces@...] On Behalf Of ANDY PERAKES
  Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 9:16 AM
  To: Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's
  Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Forward Clutch Won't Engage on Late-1967 3-wire Shifter - Update

  Thanks, Lee. I just realized my earlier reply to Don went only to him, but I was able to walk my wife through measuring the coil over the phone this morning. Unfortunately I only have a cheap multimeter with 10k or 1k scales so both readings of "0" could effectively have been "0" else 4.5 - 6.5 ohms on that scale. If I can get the parts this week, I feel fairly confident I can do the repairs next weekend. I think my two biggest concerns are:

  1) Do I need any special tools to get it apart and put it back together?

  2) Getting parts (especially not know what part(s) failed)

  I lost all of my special tools (gear/bearing pullers, clip spreaders, etc.) with my Dad's toolbox (long story so let's just say I hope none of you ever have to experience the horrors of Alzeheimer's) and I only have a limited tool set at the lake. It was late by the time we got back in so I ended up leaving my whole rig there (including manuals - d'oh!); if you think its the spring tab that broke and I can find one for a reasonable price, I just assume get one now (I have much better luck finding parts near Detroit vs. the small town in Ontario where I boat). Its not just the repair costs, but if I have to depend on a shop, my season will most likely be over and August is the best month around here. Is this spring tab part of the spring itself, i.e. I need to find a spring pack? While I'm waiting for my wife to bring my manuals back, I'll try pulling the part #s from the BRP site in hopes of tracking parts down after work today (Michigan Marine Gear usually has this kind of stuff in stock). What about gaskets, springs, circlips, etc. -- anything else you think I'll need?

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Lee Shuster (lib1)" <lib1@...>
  To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...>
  Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 9:58:13 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
  Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Forward Clutch Won't Engage on Late-1967 3-wire Shifter - Update

  First check the forward and reverse coils (one at a time with an
  ohmeter, out of circuit.)

  A good coil will read between 4.5 and 6.5 ohms.

  Most likely the electrical coil is okay but the spring tab has broken
  off.

  I wouldn't recommend fuse-protecting the coils, but you can calculate
  the current flow in amps using Ohm's law. I generally see 2 to 3 amps
  current draw on my digital ohmeter, when shifting with the motor not
  running and battery at approximately 12.3 volts.

  Lee

  On Aug 16, 2009, at 10:46 PM, jd wrote:

> yikes. this strikes fear in the hearts of .......me.
>
> both the up and down wires are pretty accessible before they get to
> the outdrive stuff.
>
> a) any technical reason why a person couldn't put an inline fuse on
> both those wires just for situations like this? It would be pretty
> easy to do.
>
> b) any technical reason why OMC didn't back in the day?
>
>
> (there i go again, wanting to put fuses on everything)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Aug 16, 2009, at 7:54 PM, ANDY PERAKES wrote:
>
>> Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I was a bit surprised there
>> was no fuse -- at least not one outside the stern drive (I guess
>> there could be one inside, but it doesn't show on the schematics
>> and doesn't seem a likely place to put one). What I didn't get to
>> do was test the resistance of the coils so I guess that's next, but
>> barring any big surprises from the group, it looks like I'll be
>> taking my first foray into the lower unit. It still seems odd to
>> me that the coil would go so quickly like that, but I guess it's
>> possible. There's no sound like something chunking around or loose
>> when I turn the prop by hand or run in reverse.
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Don Mandelas" <dmandelas@...>
>> To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...
>> >
>> Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 9:20:23 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
>> Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Forward Clutch Won't Engage on Late-1967 3-
>> wire Shifter - Update
>>
>> Since you have power all the way back then I guess its not a fuse
>> which would protect the forward coil.
>>
>> Don
>> 1697 Sportsman 155
>>
>>
>> Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:17:09 -0400
>> From: aperakes@...
>> To: omc-boats@...
>> Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Forward Clutch Won't Engage on Late-1967 3-
>> wire Shifter - Update
>>
>> I was able to trace power all the way back to the stern drive so
>> its not the shifter switch or another break in electrical power.
>> At this point it doesn't appear to be something I can repair in the
>> water so we're starting to paddle. Obviously a fried coil is one
>> possibility; can anyone name any other high-probablility
>> possibilities? Thanks!
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "ANDY PERAKES" <aperakes@...>
>> To: omc-boats@...
>> Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 5:15:37 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
>> Subject: [OMC-Boats] Forward Clutch Won't Engage on Late-1967 3-
>> wire Shifter
>>
>>
>> So once again I made the mistake of trusting someone else to ensure
>> the ski
>> line was clear of the drive and once again got a harness cable
>> wrapped
>> around the drive. Only a small ding in the prop and a slight bend
>> in the
>> shear pin (for which I had a spare and easily changed), but now my
>> forward
>> clutch won't engage (reverse work's fine). I have the late-1967 3-
>> wire
>> set-up out of the shifter, but unfortunately I can't see any more
>> than that
>> given the conditions. (I should add I'm on the water so I don't
>> not have
>> access to any manuals, limited tools, and its a bit too rocky to be
>> poking
>> around very much.) If anyone happens to see this and has any
>> thoughts I can
>> try before giving up and paddling back in, I'd sure appreciate it.
>> Even
>> though I have a 3-wire, I've already tried Lee's 5-wire trick of
>> shutting
>> down in neutral and backing in reverse; didn't work. Thanks!
>>
>> Andy
>> 1967 Reveler
>>
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Received on Tuesday, 18 August 2009

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