Dual engine controllers confusion

[xavpil]

i just bought a used Catalina 27 and the dual engine controllers confuses me. I get that the longest, black lever is push - forward, pull - backwards, middle - neutral
now the small, red lever is rpm. But what is the difference between pushing and pulling it?

thx!

 

[dlochner]

The red lever controls the throttle, aka the gas pedal, push it forward the engine should run faster, pull it back the engine should run slower.

 

[xavpil]

The red lever controls the throttle, aka the gas pedal, push it forward the engine should run faster, pull it back the engine should run slower.

So the red isn’t in a neutral position when I start then? Since there is no neutral for engine speed, right?

 

[dlochner]

So the red isn’t in a neutral position when I start then? Since there is no neutral for engine speed, right?

For the dual lever controls there is no neutral for engine speed. If you have a diesel the red lever should be in the idle position, pulled back.

 

[xavpil]

For the dual lever controls there is no neutral for engine speed. If you have a diesel the red lever should be in the idle position, pulled back.

And to switch from forward to backwards I’m sure I can’t do that while throttle but do I have to bring throttle all the back?

 

[Stu Jackson]

And to switch from forward to backwards I’m sure I can’t do that while throttle but do I have to bring throttle all the back?

Yes.

Could think of it this way:

RED gas pedal, but you have to back it off manually rather than just taking your foot off the pedal

BLACK - the gear shift lever PRNDL with no P or L

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

now the small, red lever is rpm. But what is the difference between pushing and pulling it?

Does ANYTHING happen when you push or pull the small red lever while the engine is running ?

 

[xavpil]

Yes.

Could think of it this way:

RED gas pedal, but you have to back it off manually rather than just taking your foot off the pedal

BLACK - the gear shift lever PRNDL with no P or L

Thx a lot!

 

[xavpil]

Does ANYTHING happen when you push or pull the small red lever while the engine is running ?

Yes the rpm changes. Faster. Slower.

 

[RoyS]

I had a boat that had the shifter oriented backwards; you pushed it forward to go backwards. Confusing enough, but I got used to it. The next boat had the shifter oriented correctly, but the throttle was backwards. I was never able to unconsciously operate that boat because I often forgot which boat I was on. Finally installed a single lever/dual function controller and never looked back; totally intuitive, and only requires one hand.

 

[xavpil]

but the throttle was backwards.

I think that’s happening with mine where I have to push forward to slow down and backwards to accelerate…

 

[RoyS]

Wait for the inevitable panic situation when there is no time for the eenie meenie to choose throttle direction.

 

[RoyS]

Further, there is no excuse for the boat builder to have made this disaster of a design. Yet they made thousands the same way. No excuse!

 

[xavpil]

Further, there is no excuse for the boat builder to have made this disaster of a design. Yet they made thousands the same way. No excuse!

I know right!!!!!!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

My Starwind 27 had the same issue whereby the forward/reverse lever was reversed. It was a problem with space in the Edson pedestal, which limits the throw of the connecting linkage at the transmission. I'll have trouble describing it, but I remember that my linkage was originally reversed on the control lever at the transmission. When I got the boat, the linkage on the transmission was hooked up in reverse to what the transmission manual shows somehow. By doing that, the lever on the pedestal was working as expected. When I repowered, with a new transmission, we connected the cables as described in the installation manual, and the forward/reverse lever was then opposite. There was no room in the pedestal to connect the linkage in the pedestal the correct way, so it was the linkage in the Edson pedestal that was the problem. (I'm still confused by it, but it's no longer my problem ). We could have gone back to the transmission case and hooked the cables up in reverse, but I didn't bother ... it's still an option, I think.

 

[xavpil]

My Starwind 27 had the same issue whereby the forward/reverse lever was reversed. It was a problem with space in the Edson pedestal, which limits the throw of the connecting linkage at the transmission. I'll have trouble describing it, but I remember that my linkage was originally reversed on the control lever at the transmission. When I got the boat, the linkage on the transmission was hooked up in reverse to what the transmission manual shows somehow. By doing that, the lever on the pedestal was working as expected. When I repowered, with a new transmission, we connected the cables as described in the installation manual, and the forward/reverse lever was then opposite. There was no room in the pedestal to connect the linkage in the pedestal the correct way, so it was the linkage in the Edson pedestal that was the problem. (I'm still confused by it, but it's no longer my problem ). We could have gone back to the transmission case and hooked the cables up in reverse, but I didn't bother ... it's still an option, I think.

yeah I guess I'll try to get used to it.

 

[kloudie1]

The transmission control lever is typically mounted on a splined shaft and can be mounted opposite to where its action is reversed on the pedestal. The cable end bracket has to be adjusted as well.

 

[dlochner]

The transmission control lever is typically mounted on a splined shaft and can be mounted opposite to where its action is reversed on the pedestal. The cable end bracket has to be adjusted as well.

On the transmission itself the shift lever is normally pointing up when in neutral. When pushed forward, the boat goes forward, when pulled backwards the boat goes backwards. If the position is rotated such that the lever points down, then pushing it forward causes the boat to go in reverse, pushing backwards causes the boat to go forward.

Another option for the Edson dual lever controls, is to reverse the position of the shifter handle. Normally it points away from the pedestal, but it can be reversed, pointing towards the pedestal, this causes the shifting to be reversed.

 

[xavpil]

The transmission control lever is typically mounted on a splined shaft and can be mounted opposite to where its action is reversed on the pedestal. The cable end bracket has to be adjusted as well.

too many terms I don't know but thanks, it's good to know there's a solution. Working on my technical vocabulary

 

[dlochner]

too many terms I don't know but thanks, it's good to know there's a solution. Working on my technical vocabulary

If you really want to get confused, know that the transmission is really a marine reverse gear and there is logic reason why it is called that, however, it will just confuse the issue at this point.