I can't seem to figure out what to do next?

Question

It's a '67 boat w/a '68 Johnson 40 Super Sea Horse Electromatic on it. When you put it in gear it locks up the prop and the engine after 5 revolutions of the prop! I'm an auto tech, not a marine tech...However, my thinking is this...To me it's acting almost like...it's going into 2 gears at once! Is that possible on this thing? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks'...

Mark

Answer 1

You have a stripped gear tooth in the lower unit, causing it to bind up.

Answer 2

Cant go into two gears at once,  Sounds like a tooth off the pinion gear

Answer 3

I haven't worked on an electric shift motor in a long time, but I can give ya some basic info.

the forward and reverse gears both ride freely on the propshaft, meshed full time with the pinion gear at the bottom of the drive shaft.

The clutch dog is splined to the propshaft, and moves forward to mesh with the forward gear, and aft to mesh with reverse.

A few different versions of that gearbox - most had 2 solenoids, and at rest were in forward, sort of a "limp-home" feature in case of solenoid failure on the water.

If you haven't inspected the wiring for corrosion, that would be the first step.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Check what's call a dog clutch. What you're saying sounds likes it's shot. You're going to have to break apart the lower unit so that you have access to the clutch.

Answer 5

I've thought about your question for a few minutes.  I've worked on these motors but not in the last 20 years or so.  I 've read some of the other answers and I think they are confusing other models and HP engines.  If my memory serves me, this engine has an electro-matic clutch spring.  that operates around a knurled gear.  If the bearings in the lower unit have failed, due to water in the gear case, at sometime.  I would expect the motor to act as you describe.   Regardless, I think you need to disassemble the

'lower unit"  If the engine runs with the gears in neutral, then that's where to look for problems.