Re: [OMC-Boats] OMC HYDRO-ELECTRIC LOWER UNITS

Our messages hit at the same time, so let me clarify.

BRP is having a half-price sale on the remaining $950 switches. See my e-mail that shows them at $441.

The PDX guy is NOT -- I repeat NOT making new swicthes, he is refurbishing them. To be perfectly fair, he stands behind them and has sent out a replacement or two as he perfects his process. I know this from personal experience with my local OMC dealer.

The group buy I mentioned is for the TC Electronics switches out of Canada, which you can view on their website. These are completely new switches based on a CAD (designs) that incorporate reliable micro switches. (See: http://www.sterndrive.info/electric_shift_replacement_switch.html ) The produce them in Canada and include instructions. I will have one in a week or so and will do a brief write-up. At any rate, These will work in either 3-wire or 5-wire JOHNSON or BINNACLE or CONCEALED SIDE MOUNT OMC Electric shift sterndrive remote controllers from 1962 to 1977.

lee

----- Original Message -----
From: "jd" <jdood@...>
To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...>
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 9:58 AM
Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] OMC HYDRO-ELECTRIC LOWER UNITS

> yes, the boat yard guy i was talking to a couple days ago said new
> ones are out there and they list for $950. He was also familiar with
> the guy in PDX that makes new ones for $200. Apparently there is
> some spring inside that he uses that is no longer made anywhere.
> It's all kinda crazy. There's a bunch of these switches out there
> in use that will fail someday. The word is on the street that
> they're prone to failure. So why doesn't some legit electronic
> company/factory make up a bunch of these and sell them for $100 or
> something. I know, it's not that simple. But the switches
> themselves are simple. They're really just a glorified momentary
> toggle switch. Just a few notches above what you might find in a
> radio shack store or auto parts store. Wish I had some connections
> in China!
>
>
>
> On Aug 26, 2009, at 4:47 PM, Lee Shuster wrote:
>
>> Most people selling on eBay don't have a clue. If they know what
>> they have then they can command premium prices. So it is up to the
>> buyer to either know what works and might interchange or be willing
>> to take a chance.
>>
>> Jeff I'm just glad we prevent a least one person from accidently
>> installing this switch. Had you installed it and used it for
>> shifting into reverse, you would have engage both F/R clutches at
>> the same time.
>> And Dude, that would have just been down right RUDE!
>>
>> I've be checking and, believe it or not BRP(present owners of OMC/E/
>> J) stlll carries some of these remote shifter parts, including some
>> of the switches. Apparently they haven't run thru nearly as many
>> Evinrude shifters as the Johnson-OMC single levers.
>>
>>
>> On Aug 26, 2009, at 1:09 PM, jd wrote:
>>
>>> Yep - that's what is going on. Talked to another boat parts
>>> yesterday who also knew alot about these shifters. The "extra"
>>> shifter I bought on ebay a couple years ago as a spare for times
>>> like this was in fact for an OUTBOARD OMC engine setup. The
>>> outboard shifters have a switch in them that looks identical to
>>> the strerndrive switches BUT they only send power when in forward
>>> and neutral. Not in forward and reverse as needed for
>>> sterndrives. $%&$##*@...!! So now I have a broken plastic 5
>>> wire switch and a wrong 3 wire spare. Might have a source for a
>>> correct 3 wire though. More on that later.
>>>
>>> So yeah, part numbers would have been good to verify here,
>>> however it's important to note the outboard switch has NO part
>>> numbers on it anywhere and the same is probably true for the
>>> sterndrive versions of these switches. Yes the parts manual shows
>>> two different numbers, but they don't seem to be marked on the
>>> switches anywhere. Also important to note the shifter I bought
>>> on ebay, although it's for an outboard OMC, looks just like the
>>> sterndrive version. And the part numbers for it are stamped on
>>> the inside - so not much chance of being able to verify anyway.
>>> So the moral to this part of the story is if you are planning to
>>> buy a spare shifter off ebay, make sure the guy selling it KNOWS
>>> for sure it came from a stern drive not an outboard otherwise it's
>>> useless to you.
>>>
>>> Jeff D
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Aug 24, 2009, at 7:39 PM, Lee Shuster wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> OMC introduced a new lower unit in 1968 on it's then-new 55-hp 3-
>>>> cyl outboard. In 1969, they used a larger version gear case on the
>>>> V-4 outboards. Eventually (1978) these units were adapted to OMC
>>>> Stringer I/O's.
>>>> There are no-doubt members of this list running these "Hydro
>>>> Electric Shift" OMC outboards and I don't want to exclued them
>>>> from our recent on-going discussions.
>>>>
>>>> Someone suggested borrowing the remote controls from these later
>>>> outboards and using them for a parts source. That may be possible,
>>>> I just haven't tried it.
>>>> Without studying an OMC wiring diagram, I wouldn't want to say for
>>>> sure. And the mechanical switch design is most likely, still prone
>>>> to failure.
>>>>
>>>> I do know the OMC engineers' control "logic" took a major "C-
>>>> change" and I thought the background theory would be worth sharing.
>>>>
>>>> For some reason, OMC engineers decide to incorporate a fail-safe,
>>>> "locked-in-forward" approach in the event of electrical or
>>>> hydraulic failure.
>>>> In other words, FORWARD GEAR, NOT NEUTRAL became the default gear
>>>> position, and you'd always get home safely?
>>>> And no more wind-milling props on the back of fast moving trailers.
>>>>
>>>> The shifting setup of the lower unit is what OMC called their
>>>> "Hydro Electric Shift", which is quite complex, consisting of
>>>> voltage being applied to solenoids in the lower unit which in turn,
>>>> change oil passages via a hydraulic oil pump that supplies various
>>>> pressure on a spring loaded shifter dog. Makes you appreciate the
>>>> "KISS? simplicity of our pure electric shift design.
>>>>
>>>> The wires leading to the lower unit (at the powerhead) are still
>>>> "Green" and "Blue". But now, the engine must be running or
>>>> cranking over in order to shift OUT OF FORWARD GEAR.
>>>>
>>>> With Hydro Electric Shift units,
>>>>
>>>> In neutral, your remote controller supplies 12v to the "Green" wire.
>>>> In reverse, your remote controller supplies 12v to both wires, the
>>>> "Green" one and the "Blue" one.
>>>> In forward, the remote controller supplies no voltage to either
>>>> wire. (And the spring-loaded shifter dog forces the unit into
>>>> forward gear.)
>>>>
>>>> To check the lower unit for proper shifting AND to make sure you
>>>> have no trouble there, remove the spark plugs to avoid problems
>>>> and to allow a higher cranking speed with lower compression.
>>>>
>>>> This next step eliminates the actual remote control shifter
>>>> switch, in case problems may exist there....and allows you to
>>>> focus on checking the lower unit operation.
>>>>
>>>> Disconnect the blue & green wires at the knife connectors (the
>>>> rubber insulated boots) leading to the lower unit at the powerhead,
>>>>
>>>> Then using jumpers, take voltage direct from the starter solenoid
>>>> to apply voltage to the "Green" wire for neutral, then both wires
>>>> 'Green" & "Blue" for reverse.
>>>> (Remember the engine must be cranking over in order to shift. You
>>>> may crank the engine with the key switch or by energizing the
>>>> starter solenoid with a jumper wire).
>>>>
>>>> With no voltage applied, the unit should be in "locked-in"
>>>> forward. No need for a ground jumper... the lower unit's already
>>>> grounded.
>>>>
>>>> Lee
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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Received on Thursday, 27 August 2009