Johnson Command Center

[eclark53520]

This is probably around '77 command center.

If i take the lever all the way back into reverse, the shift linkage will bind with the lever and not allow it to go back into neutral.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why this would be happening?

I've searched online now for an hour and can't find anything worth my time.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Johnson Command Center

I had the old control like that on a boat.
I worked and worked on it but it would bind all the time.It was just worn out i guess.
I ended up refitting with a newer style control.

You may want to unhook the cables and check just to make sure it is not a cable problem.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Johnson Command Center

That's a solid idea. I'll do that tomorrow. I just had to walk away from it because it was really starting to get to me.

Thanks.

What style control did you fit onto the boat? I hear the 'command center' went away in 79 and anything from then till like 95 will work on the 'red' connector engines....is that true?

The price of some of the retail controls are almost as much as i bought the boat for so hopefully i can get this fixed for a bit cheaper than that.

 

[tboltmike]

Re: Johnson Command Center

I have a '75. A few years ago, took it apart to do some wiring. Found the grease in cam channel to be rock hard. And near imposible to remove even with solvents. Cleaned it out the best I could..so far so good.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Johnson Command Center

Yeah, thats the first thing i did when it started acting up was to clean and re-grease everything....didn't help.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Johnson Command Center

Now that i've thought about it some more i'm thinking its the shift cable.

It felt like there was pressure trying to put the lever in reverse, but i know i can shift the engine itself into reverse just fine. I'm guessing the cable is hanging up inside and when the teeth from the shifter disengage the shifter linkage, it releases the tension and moves the shifter linkage to the point where the teeth will not re-engage like they're supposed to.

Will the 79-94(i think its 94) cables work on my 77 control box? Anyone know a good place to find these cables? I'm having a hard time finding them.

 

[Auger01]

Re: Johnson Command Center

If your shift cable is bad i.e. frozen then it is possible to damage one of the gears in your command center when going into reverse. The result of that is that it wont go into neutral from reverse.

I know this because it happened to me. The part costs about 35 IIRC. If this is what happened to yours it will be obvious when you open it up for inspection and or cable repacement.

No the newer cables wont work because thet come with a fitting on the ends. Your older cables wont have that.