71 Johnson 50 hp clicking before going in reverse

[dhall419]

I have a 71 Johnson 50 hp model 50ESL71S that was working fine, it goes into forward just fine, but when I go into reverse I get a clicking sound before it goes into reverse, clicking is not a good description, but I don't know of a better way to describe it. After the sound, it will back up, but I am not sure it is as strong as it use to be. This started last year and may be worse this year. I have only had the boat for about 2 1/2 years, and I changed the lower unit oil at the first of the season for the last for the last 2 years. The first year, there were some oil in the boat when I got it, so I just used it, this year, I went to Walmart and picked up a bottle, could I have used the wrong oil, or is there something I can check. The switch went out in the control just after I got the boat, and I wired in a DPDT switch in and it worked great for the rest of that year and most of the next.

[boats.net]

If it has the electric shift gearcase on it then parts are next to impossible to find for it. The electric shift gearcase needs to have the Evinrude/Johnson Premium Blend gearcase lube(made for electric shift gearcases) used in it.