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72 Evinrude Lark 50HP electric shift is gonna make me commit sepiku

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Bowcop

New member
Please give me some help!!!

I have 72 Evinrude Lark 50 HP
It starts right up and PURRS like a kitten.... HOWEVER, 99% of the time, the prop is already spinning as soon as I hit the key, and its in Neutral... and it wont allow me to shift. I have checked EVERY wire from the ignition all the way to the engine, no bared wires, no ground issues that I see. the other 1% of the time, it functions like it should. But I cannot duplicate the problem and I am at total wits end. I've checked the lower end oil, seems good. I have thought maybe I am dealing with a low voltage issue with a bad battery, but I ran jumper cables to my truck and same damn issue.

I don't know what else to check, or what else to do? I don't have a tester to make sure that the coils are getting enough juice...

Thoughts please!!!!

There are fish out there that need caught!

TIA!!!

Tim
 
A good lower unit will go into neutral after one turn of the flywheel.-----It will also turn in neutral on a hose .----Simply because of bearing set up and oil dragging parts around !!
 
You can buy a multimeter to check voltages and resistances for $10 or less. Get one and learn how to use it. Start with the voltages on the blue and green wires that lead down to the lower unit. In neutral it should have battery voltage on green wire only.
 
racerone said:
A good lower unit will go into neutral after one turn of the flywheel.-----It will also turn in neutral on a hose .----Simply because of bearing set up and oil dragging parts around !!
Click to expand...

Are you saying that it is spinning because the hose is on? I don't think that is the case at all because I tried stopping it with a broom handle and cut it in half it's definitely under a load.

That's why this is driving me so crazy. Sometimes you start it and the prop is not spinning. and when I start it and it is spinning it will not allow me to shift. I don't know what else to do, I'm ready to poor gas and throw a match.
 
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fdrgator said:
You can buy a multimeter to check voltages and resistances for $10 or less. Get one and learn how to use it. Start with the voltages on the blue and green wires that lead down to the lower unit. In neutral it should have battery voltage on green wire only.
Click to expand...

Do you have any idea how many volts i should have at that point? And also am I checking it on the engine or at the ignition ?
 
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Check it at the disconnects on the wire leading down to the lower unit. Slide the insulating sleeves back to access the terminals, but do not disconnect them for the test. Voltage should be about 12V. Just reading your tale of woe, I suspect you have a bad (intermittent) push button switch. But don't condemn it without further testing. They are hard to find and $$$$$.
 
Bowcop said:
Do you have any idea how many volts i should have at that point? And also am I checking it on the engine or at the ignition ?
Click to expand...

I didn't read through everything thoroughly so I don't know what point you're referring to, however.........

With the key ON, the shift in neutral, and all wires still connected.... you should have a full 12v at the green wire (neutral). If anything less than a full 12v, you have a voltage drop, a bad battery, something.

In reverse, you should have the same full 12v on both green & blue connected wires.

Do you have "Premium Blend", also known as "Type C" gearcase lube in that lower unit? Nothing else will do!
 
Thank you everyone! FDRGATOR, would it help me at all to check the volts on the back of the shifter buttons at the terminals? I know nothing about outboards... lol.. can you tell me where to find these wire disconnects? starboard or port side?

My lower unit oil is very gray and milky... I can assume that is bad...
 
Look around the motor for wires that go down to the lower unit.----Green one and a blue one.-----The connecters should be covered by a rubber boot about 2/3 " long.
 
Wires are on starboard (right) side of the powerhead, near the starter solenoid, covered with sliding rubber sleeves. Sure you can test them at the push buttons, but you are ignoring half of the circuit if you do. It is so easy to follow instructions and do it right.

Besides, these are the wires that need to be disconnected before removing the lower unit for water pump service so you might as well know where they are.

EDIT: Oops, correction made. I was thinking 65hp. Sorry 'bout that.
 
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Okay this is going to be scatterbrained because I'm typing it as I think of it. With the key on with the voltage tester I have 12. 3 volts at the back of the ignition on the back of the shift box, I have 10. 3 volts at the neutral switch at the wire going down into the lower unit the neutral green wire has 10. 1 volts. I put it in reverse and the blue wire has no volts whatsoever no matter what position the gear shift box is in there is no power to the blue wire. The gear oil I drained it out of the lower unit and there was probably only 6 to 8 oz of fluid in it and it is the color of honey mustard which cannot be good. I think I am chasing multiple problems here and I am totally at wit's end and ready to pour gas and throw a match.

Short of rewiring the entire boat what else should I do here? I'm wondering if I have a bad ignition switch? And I'm also wondering about the main battery cables. I've got 12. 4 volts at the battery but at the main power Junction on the back of the motor where the battery cable connects to the engine it's less than 11 volts so I'm think I'm dealing with some corrosion as well.

HELP!!!!
 
I agree, that voltage drop requires investigation. Most common cause is corroded battery cable connections, so begin there.

No voltage at the blue wire at the engine indicates a bad push button shift switch, but not necessarily. Check at the switch next.

But fix that low voltage at the junction terminal strip first. (Battery cables). If you don't have voltage there, you won't have voltage beyond there.

The oil is another matter, and not a good sign. Change it and cross your fingers. You might luck out. You certainly do not want gearcase internal problems AND a bad shift switch. Things can start to get expensive.
 
Okay I had my battery tested and it was bad. So I bought a new battery, and I bought type c gear lube. I still have low voltage blow the connectors going down into the lower end about 10. 7. I have now hit another obstacle there are two holes on the side of the lower end the lower one below the prop were obviously the drain is and the one about 8 in above that where you're supposed to put the fluid in. I'm a pretty smart guy but I cannot for the life of me figure out why using a funnel and a tube inside the hole the gear oil just runs right out of that hole and onto the ground and is a total waste. What am I missing here? I am so ready to be done with this POS!
 
Folks have filled outboard gearcases with oil since about 1950 to the present.----You fill from the bottom till it comes out the top.-----That is the only way to make sure the air is out and it is full of oil.
 
**UPDATE**
So I installed a new battery replaced the type C gear oil in the lower unit was sitting in the boat at the controls, garden hose attached, hit the key and it was still going in forward under a load with the switch in neutral. So I turned the ignition key ever-so-slightly and it shifted into neutral. So from that point I ran through the push buttons for the shifter and it was flawless. I was able to repeat this approximately 12 times. So I have determined that there is a sweet spot in the ignition switch That was causing the issue. Obviously this has some potential safety issues if I don't have the key in the proper spot I could potentially be going forward very quickly when I don't want to. I have looked online for a new ignition switch but I have not coming up with anything. Do any of you have any insight as to where I can find a new ignition switch for this? Thanks again you guys are the best could have done this without you no
 
386947 is the part number of the switch... 4 in stock on this site ($95)... OR if you know what you're doing, or have a friend who does... third party switches can be used. If going the third party route... if you don't know exactly what you're doing or lack electrical knowledge... one wire connected to the wrong terminal could be (and usually is) a very expensive mistake!
 
He means finding how the water got in and repairing the leak. A pressure test should be done, or at least study the lower unit for signs of oil escaping. Fishing line or broom handle wrapped on shaft behind prop maybe?
 
I gave it a good look over.. I don't see any signs of a leak. This motor sat for several years... So i'm not be real worried about it yet. I'll keep an eye on it!
 
You bet. I'm sure you've seen, like me, where water enters at drain/fill or vent screws when gaskets are either missing, or one gets transferred and then stays put in drain opening, leaving the other opening gasketless.
 
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