TOPIC: johnson lower unit

ok i hope this gets seen buy the majority here i need a 76 johnson outboard lower unit, its for the 70 hp. now we got the 74 unit and i have been told several things but when you shift forward it go backwards. someone told me i have a left handed unit. for opposing twins.so i was told i could buy a left handed prop and fix it. or i need a correct lower unit. please help. if anyone has heard of this and knows a fix please let me know.

billy.

Billy,
Before you go too much farther on the problem make sure your plug wires are in the right order and on the correct cylinder. Some two strokes will start and run backwards if the plug wires aren't on correctly.
I rebuilt a Scott 60 a few years back and never fired it until I launched it the first time. It started hard and didn't run too well, but I pushed off the dock to see if it would clear up, and when I put it in reverse I almost made a Dockbuster out of it and the boat. I had mixed up two plug wires.
Don

um wow there is another possibility . i will put that on the list to check. i cant remember if we did anything else after we replaced the lower. we took the johnson and had it rigged at a dealer to a pontoon boat, my buddy took it out and ran it for awhile until it locked up the one time he didn't check the lower unit lube before launching . so i think the cables and the plugs and everything else is ok, the new lower unit is a dark blue we were told it is a 74 model, we have been told to get new controls, well we will shift forward in the motor i believe no matter what controls we put on it. i am leaning toward the left handed unit, so now after we test a few things we either need a left handed prop or a new new lower unit. identical to the old one.

so any feelers out for a either a parts motor or the lower unit off a 76 or equivalent year 70 hp will do the job, thanks

billy

There was no such thing as counter rotation back then.
Also, don't remember dark blue being a color in the mid 70's. Repaint, newer lower unit?????

I suspect that the shift mechanism pushed instead of pulled or whatever it does under the carbs and so the shifting is opposite what it should be. Probably may be able to reverse the throw inside your control box.

well funny you should say that now we are not sure what is right ad what is wrong. our setup the shift linkage under the cowl is all the way down is reverse middle is neutral and the all the way up is forward. so five oclock is re. 4 o clock net. and 3 o clock is frd. so our controls are all moving forward but i dont think the cable is right. pulling back on the controls gives us forward. the controls were rigged before we burnt the lower up. so the controls were right the first time. then we replaced the unit. our motor is a white the new lower is dark blue then he went to back it off the trailer and nothing happened. they pushed it off and he started back again and it went forward toward the trailer so the logic is the lower unit is backward. but its not. we are going to disconnect the cables and shift the unit running this weekend. by hand if it all works then we know we the controls are wrong. so will keep you all updated let me ask. if anyone has had this problem or has any knowledge please call me. i am lost. i just cant understand the thought of the shifting 770-964-5397 i dont answer odd numbers so please leave a short message and i can call right back. billy wingard