Re: HELP PLEASE 70's johnson 60hp Hydro Electric Shift
I've spent a little time thinking about your issue and have reviewed the service manual for a 1972 Johnson 65hp motor, which has the same gearbox as yours. Frankly, I don't see how it could shift in an opposite pattern from what is to be expected.
Your gearbox has two electrical solenoids, which actuate two poppet valves in the unit's hydraulic cicuitry. It also has a hydraulic pump, which uses the Type C gear oil as a hydraulic fluid, and a spring loaded piston. The piston is what actually moves the clutch dog. The neutral poppet valve is actuated by the upper solenoid and the reverse poppet valve is actuated by the lower solenoid.
Absent any electrical power to either solenoid, both poppet valves are open and no hydraulic force is applied against the piston to overcome the spring. This allows the piston to remain fully forward and mate the clutch dog and the forward gear. When the upper solenoid is entergized, the neutral poppet valve closes and hydraulic pressure is directed towards the face of the piston, moving it back one step. This, of course, moves the dog to the neutral position. Upon energizing of the lower solenoid, the reverse poppet valve closes and fluid is directed to the face of the piston again. This time, however, it flows from the side of the piston and only reaches its face because the piston has already been moved back one step. I don't believe that activating the lower solenoid alone, would move the piston from the forward position at all, because the fluid would not be able to reach its face in that position.
So, why consider all of this? Simple - because the only way the system should work, is with application of 12VDC to the appropriate solenoids, in the appropriate order. In short, it either works correctly, or it doesn't work at all and the motor remains in forward gear. This means that correct electrical circuitry could only result in correct solenoid/poppet valve actuation and crossed wiring anywhere in the circuitry, could only result in failure of the system to work at all.
At this point, I go back to my question of awhile ago - what makes you sure that your gear box is operating backwards? Try running the motor again and observe the propshaft rotation. It should be clockwise, as viewed from astern, for foward and counterclockwise for reverse.
One final thought - any chance that the motor has a left hand rotation prop on it? I have no idea if there are any that will fit that motor, but this is about the only explanation that I can come up with at this point.
