Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

[ableberry]

Evening,

I took apart the lower end of my '77 35hp Johnson for a winter project. One problem I'm chasing down is the motor's stubborness to go in forward gear. It shifts into reverse fine, but normally needs some hard shifting to go forward.

Question 1: The clutch dog shows some minor wearing on the leading edge of the ears, but nothing major, how much is too much when it comes to ear wear? Does the clutch dog normally fully engage the forward gear, or does it just ride along a few millimeters?

I'm inclined to think the clutch dog isn't being fully engaged with the foward gear, which leads me to...

Queston 2: The shift rod has some very minor play, perhaps a quarter inch. If the travel of the shift linkage is being lost in slop, then this would result in the clutch dog not being moved far enough. Where can I take up the slop in the linkage or otherwise rectify the shift problem? Worn bellcrank?

Am I tracking right, or missing something?

Extraneous info: Once the motor had some trouble jumping out of gear when I gave it gas, leading me to beleive the clutch dog had just barely engaged the forward gear.

Sorry for the long post, please help if you can!

-Wes

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

I would first disconnect the shift cable and try shifting manually, does it now shift fine? If the machined sharp edges of the lobe were rounded, normally due to operator error when shifting, you would find the motor to jump out of gear. Remember, when shifting, you want to snap the unit into gear as quickly as possible, slowly eeeaaasing it into gear will round those machined edges giving you trouble. Also remember that the shift rod is set to a specified length, depending on your model number. Trying to tighten it will cause more problems. Have you tried measuring the shift rod length to ensure that it is in fact the correct length? Good luck and happy new year.

 

[ableberry]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

I don't have a remote shifter hooked up, it's just an outboard hung on the back of an old fiberglass boat. It will snap into reverse fine but if I snap it into forward, more often than not it won't catch, and sometimes it'll make a clinking noise like the clutch dog is being engaged just enough to tap the forard gear.

Does the clutch dog normally fully enage the gear? How worn is too worn?

I'll look into the shiftrod length. The motor was bought from a guy who said he got it from a guy (standard huh?) who rebuilt it, so I'm not sure what was done to it in the meantime.

On the older shiftrods that screw into the shift yoke, do they have to be screwed in all the way, or can I leave it out a bit to try to lengthen the travel?

Thanks for the help.

-Wes

 

[flabum]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

It is possible that someone at one time changed the shift shaft height. If everything in the gearcase looks good, put it back together with a new seal kit and set the shift shaft height proper.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

Ah Im sorry about the remote shifter. No they usually arent screwed in all the way, the tolerances are usually pretty tight, about .036 inches, so you will have to check your manual for the measurement. Measure from the shift rod connector hole to the surface of the gearcase.

 

[ableberry]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

Thanks for the info. I'll scrub my SELOC manual for the measurements.

I picked up the whole outfit for $600 from a guy last summer who used it to drift net on the Kenai. Before that my only boating experience came from a jon boat I patched up when I was stationed in Florida. However, this is my first time tinkering with outboards.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

Evening,

Extraneous info: Once the motor had some trouble jumping out of gear when I gave it gas, leading me to beleive the clutch dog had just barely engaged the forward gear.

Sorry for the long post, please help if you can!

-Wes

Did the jumping out of gear happen recently? If nothing was changed, and it jumped out of gear, the clutch dog and fwd gear are toast. The jumping out of gear is rarely an adjustment, unless someone messed with the linkage and is seldom caused by partial engagement, but is caused by poor shifting technique.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

I believe that the shift rod on your model has a coupler between the upper and lower sections of the shift rod. If the coupler is reconnected without completely removing the screw, the notch will not allign properly with the screw and your shift rod will be set too long.

If you want, you should be able to flip the clutch dog so that the wear is on the reverse gear rather than forward.

Please click the thumbnail to enlarge:

 

[flabum]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

Evening,

Does the clutch dog normally fully engage the forward gear, or does it just ride along a few millimeters?

I'm inclined to think the clutch dog isn't being fully engaged with the foward gear, which leads me to...

Queston 2: The shift rod has some very minor play, perhaps a quarter inch. If the travel of the shift linkage is being lost in slop, then this would result in the clutch dog not being moved far enough. Where can I take up the slop in the linkage or otherwise rectify the shift problem? Worn bellcrank?


-Wes

The clutch dog should fully engage the gear. Take a look at the bellcrank cradle where it goes into the clutch dog. There should be very little clearance fore and aft. The belcrank fingers should have a nice round shape and fit nicely in the cradle. The hole that the cross pin goes through on the belcrank should be round, if it is oblong, replace the belcrank.

 

[ableberry]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

Thanks for all the info!

It only jumped out of gear once, but never did it again, however, the chronic problem has been difficulty shifting into forward. It usually requires very hard shifting to get it going. Since this is my winter project, I decided to tackle the problem and get it running like new.

I scrubbed my SELOC manual and couldn't find it, does anyone know the correct shiftrod length? The model number is 35RL77H.

-Wes

 

[flabum]

Re: Bellcrank/Clutch Dog questions...

from what I remember, the shift rod goes all the way in till it stops.