1970 85 hp lower unit ESL

roscoepresley24

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Jul 24, 2016
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dropping lower unit on a electric shift do I need to cut the shift wires if so where is the best place to cut. water is leeking up through the impeller housing need to replace seals.
 

racerone

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Dec 28, 2013
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????----No you do not cut the wires !!-------Disconnect the wires at the back of the motor.---Attach something to the wires so they can be pulled back up.-----Remove the bolts to drop the lower unit.--------Including one bolt under the trim tab.
 
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roscoepresley24

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Jul 24, 2016
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the wires come up through the base and go straight into the wrapped bundle of wires there are no connectors it appears that maybe they were spliced together before very professionaly, ive changed impellers before on johnson 85s but never a electric shift. I dont know my alternatives!!
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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The knife connectors should be located in the cowl pan on the starboard side of the engine. They will, or should have neoprene sleeves covering them
 

oldboat1

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Apr 3, 2002
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roscoepresley24

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Jul 24, 2016
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Thanks for your input im not familiar with knife connecters, also i have water coming out the joint where lower unit and exhaust body come together this is using muffs I noticed that the plastic sleeve on stbd side was slid up above end of the copper tube about a quarter inch what would cause this?
 

F_R

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Jul 7, 2006
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You are letting your imagination go wild. Water coming out that seam is absolutely normal, don't worry about it. If fact if you look at the forward end of that seam you will see an intentional drain hole. Any water that comes out there has gone through the cooling system and done its job and is on its way back to the sea anyway.

And those water tube guides are just that--guides to help you insert the tubes when assembling. Once it is all together they do nothing--except dance around in there and shinny up the tubes.
 
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