50hp gear problem ?m

joevacs

Cadet
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
6
Hello, I'm new here and have a question.
I have a Mecury 50hp, 4 stroke from 2005 i think. I was out on the lake yesterday and cruising along at around 4500 rpms and suddenly the boat stops, the engine revs and I hear gear grinding noises. I pull the throttle back into neutral and try forward and reverse with no luck. I checked the prop and everything looks fine.
In retracing my steps , and to give you the most info I can think of that may lead to clues; the last 2 times on the lake, including when I first cranked up this time, The motor didn't want to crank like the battery was dead. After replacing the battery with a new one for yesterdays trip it cranked right up. i turned it off and parked the trailer then came back and it wouldn't turn over. I knew the battery was good so I jiggled the throttle arm back and forth with no luck. I tightened the battery cables and then it cranked fine. I thought it must've just been that, but now I'm wondering if the linkage is in need of adjustment.
Anyway while stuck out in the middle of the lake I tried to get it to go into forward or reverse with no luck at all. I don't know what is prone to breaking is why I came here first before taking things apart. It seems like the linkage is working because forward and reverse give a sound of gears grinding whereas neutral doesn't.
Out of the water, the prop spins freely.
I'm not sure if I hit anything on the water but there were some small logs floating in the area.

Any help would be appreciated.
 

joevacs

Cadet
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
6
Yep the pinion gear is broken in two. I got the broken gear out and the nut off. Now my question is how do I get the lower section loose? I unbolted the 4 main bolts, took the nut off under the anode ( or whatever that aluminum fin is ) and the rear section where the actuator rod goes down seems to have something else holding it together.
 

joevacs

Cadet
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
6
so is there a dowel in the rear ( towards the front of the boat ) ? I see the 2 dowels in the front (above where the prop is ) and that section will pull downward about a half inch but the rear portion seems to be held by something. If there is another dowel back there maybe I'm binding it.
 
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