89 Force 50 Shift pivot screw leaking gear oil

[portwill363]

After changing the gear oil i noticed gear oil leaking out of the shift pivot screw. Everything i have read said not to remove this screw. How can I fix this leak? It is a 89 force 50 B model. Thanks

[Frank Acampora]

The seal is leaking. First try to tighten the screw. If this does not stop the leak, then you must replace the seal. IF you remove the lower unit and turn it on its side, you can remove the screw without anything shifting inside IF YOU DO NOT MOVE THE LINKAGE while the screw is out. Put a new seal on the screw and replace it.

It is also possible to remove the screw with the unit still mounted on the engine---again, if you do not move anything. However, this is more likely to have the internal yoke shift and then you would need to disasasemble the lower unit to replace it properly.

Of course, the ultimate test is: Does it shift through both gears and back into neutral? If is does, then everything is correct.