Lower unit won't budge

USAFitz

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 27, 2007
Messages
36
Hey all. Thanks for all the advice so far. I've run into another problem (surprise) that I was hoping you could help me with. My first issue was with the control box not shifting out of neutral. That has since been fixed with new parts. Now, my forward/reverse won't engage. Luckily, it's pretty easy to see the problem. The shift shaft is rusted and seized. I would love to further troubleshoot, however with the rust and what not, I can't drop the lower unit. In the pic, you can see it at an angle. I've got it open a bit, but the front won't come apart.

Anyone have any advice for separating the lower unit with a rusted/seized shift shaft? Thanks again for the help.
 

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MacDaddy21

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Messages
280
Re: Lower unit won't budge

The rusted shaft is not your shift shaft. It is the reverse lock shaft that engages the reverse lock cam when you put the motor in reverse, so your motor will not kick up when you have it in reverse.

You can try having a helper turn the flywheel by hand while you tug on the lower unit, and you can also use a wood block and a hammer to hit on the cavitation plate to help knock it loose. The first time I pulled mine when I was rebuilding my motor, it literally took days to get it off. I had friends come help and one day I was tugging on it by myself and it came flying off.
 

carholme

Rear Admiral
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
4,845
Re: Lower unit won't budge

With all due respect MacDaddy, hit the plate at your own risk. Maybe you can get away with it 9 times out of 10 but on the tenth a piece will beak off if you make a mistake and hit it on the outer edge. Far better to insert wooden or plastic wedges between the LU and the mid section and tap on them to force separation.

You can also see if the reverse lock shaft is hung up or not by manually rotating the claws.

Gerry
 

MacDaddy21

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Messages
280
Re: Lower unit won't budge

I only did it because I got the same advice from a member on this forum. I was told I could use a wood block or a rubber mallet. The mallet did nothing to move it at all, but the wood block helped. I tapped on the narrow part of the plate where it tapers to the forward facing part of the LU. It worked for me to get it off that one time. It was only stuck because the driveshaft had some rust where the splines mate in the bottom of the powerhead. I cleaned the rust off and lubricated it well before putting it back on. Now it comes off easily.
 

FLATHEAD MAC

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 11, 2009
Messages
116
Re: Lower unit won't budge

IN YOUR THIRD PICT IT LOOKS like a good amount of corrosion around that stud,
take ie easy and good luck
 
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