96 Evinrude 130 Not Shifting Well

[vote4me4pres]

Hooked up to the shift cable and using the controls the shift arm barely budges and is vary hard to move. Feels like I am about to break something. Shift cable moves normally when not attached to shift arm. I can move the shift arm manually in and out of gear, F-N-R, but it needs more force than seems should be necessary. I need a pair of vise-grips or a hammer to do it. Any thoughts or suggestions on what to do?

 

[boobie]

Re: 96 Evinrude 130 Not Shifting Well

If I read you correctly, it sounds like the shift rod orings in the G/C are swelled up from corrosion causing it to shift hard.

 

[vote4me4pres]

Re: 96 Evinrude 130 Not Shifting Well

It looks like I will be dropping the lower unit in the morning then. I've changed impellers before but never anything else down there. What's the level of difficulty to fix this for a novice?

 

[boobie]

Re: 96 Evinrude 130 Not Shifting Well

If it is the shift rod seals, after you get the G/C off and before you take out the shift rod, screw the shift rod in and count the number of turns until it bottoms out and write it down. After the repair, bottom out the shift rod again and turn it out the same number of turns you started with. This will save guessing the shift rod height or measuring it. You may want to check shop.evinrude.com for some good parts break downs.

 

[vote4me4pres]

Re: 96 Evinrude 130 Not Shifting Well

Lower unit was full of water so it looks like I'm in the market for a LU to swap. It looks like a lower from a 1992 or later 120, 130, or 140 would be able to bolt on? Any others?