Lower unit removal

[Parrothead71]

My apologies if this is posted somewhere but here it goes.
I'm trying to remove the lower unit from my 1976 Evinrude 115hp mechanical shift motor. I've followed the instructions in the repair book but I could be missing something.
Unhooked the shift rod, removed all 5 bolts......if I'm not mistaken it should just about fall off at this point shouldn't it?

Thank you for any advice

 

[interalian]

Bolt under trim tab? Shift linkage too.

 

[F_R]

There are six bolts holding it on. You have to remove the trim tab to access one of them, as already suggested.

 

[Parrothead71]

Got the one under the trim tab and the shift linkage.
I guess it's just being stubborn. I did get it to move a little buts it's far from off.

 

[racerone]

Salt water motor ?------Removing the connecter at the top of the shift rod may help.

 

[interalian]

Thread two of the bolts in a few turns, then tap some wood wedges into the gap. The bolts will keep the LU from dropping on your foot when it releases.

 

[Parrothead71]

Salt water motor ?------Removing the connecter at the top of the shift rod may help.

Fresh water

 

[Parrothead71]

So I finally got the lower off tonight. The splines are kind of rusty, betting that's why it was so stuck.
I'll try and post a couple pictures later.

 

[interalian]

Make sure the O ring is intact at the top of the drive shaft. Grease the splines when you put it back, but be sure you don't put any grease on the flat end of the shaft or you can hydrolock the spine in the crank.

 

[Parrothead71]

No Title

Splines on the drive shaft

 

[interalian]

Is the O ring intact? Clean the splines, check for too much wear, grease per post 9 and re-install.

 

[Parrothead71]

I think that's the o-ring on the shaft, I really haven't had time to do anymore then pull the lower off. I'll be looking at it closer this weekend.

 

[racerone]

Rust AKA iron oxide is quite abrasive.---Need to clean / flush out as much as possible from the crankshaft.---Ok to put some grease on top of the shaft in this case as the wear on the splines gives room for the grease to get away.

 

[Parrothead71]

Rust AKA iron oxide is quite abrasive.---Need to clean / flush out as much as possible from the crankshaft.---Ok to put some grease on top of the shaft in this case as the wear on the splines gives room for the grease to get away.

Any recommendations on how to reach up there?

 

[jakedaawg]

Best way to clean the crank splines would be to pull the power head but that a big job.

I.think I would clean the shaft splines grease well with triple guard and make sure I pull the lower every month or so for a while. Hope fully the repeated installation and removal will help clean it..

I wonder if you couldn't put a little steel wool on the splines to help scrub the crank splines? Worry would be that the steel wool does not come out with the drive shaft though. You wouldn't want aNY wool left in there as that stuff rusts quick and may make a bigger mess. Probably a bad idea.

 

[interalian]

Any recommendations on how to reach up there?

How about a piece of dowel with a toothbrush head jammed/glued into a drilled hole in the end of the dowel. Repeatedly dip the brush in WD-40 and insert, rotate, scrub and clean. Best done if the the motor is in running position (vertical) so the gunk falls downward.

 

[Parrothead71]

So I finally got all of my parts together, cleaned up the case and painted it.
Now I need to install the lower driveshaft bearing, the repair manual says to,use a special tool to get it set to the proper depth. Any ideas how to do this without the special tool?