shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

I am trying to drop the LU on an 88 Spcl 1990 Evinrude but am having trouble figuring how to remove the shift rod connection screw burried under the carb. I did this job a few years back but can't recall how I got access and removed the screw. I remember using a long screwdriver, taping the screw to it to replace it, and unnecessarily removing a lot of stuff to get at the screw. I believe I must attack it from the right side (opposite side of shifter cables). Can someone explain the most efficient approach. The Clymer's manual is useless having a picture with an arrow pointing to a black ink blotch in a photo. It also seems impossible to find an original manual for this engine. What would be the closest model, an 85 or a 90 hp.

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

What I use to remove this screw is a !/4 inch drive ratchet with about a 12 inch exstension with a 3/8" wobbler socket. You can by this at Sear's. You will find that a 1/4" drive socket set, and a set of 1/4" drive wobbler's very handy for working on any of these engine's. Also get a set of 1/4" drive exstension's. Also get a long gripper with the steel finger's.

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

http://www.kencook.com/evinrudejohnsonmanuals/ ] Factory Manuals[/url]

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

On my V6, I just pull the bottom carb.

The extensions and sockets listed above would be helpful. I had a long extension, but no wobbler socket. I used a swivel adapter, but it's not great for this!!

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

A swivel gives to much exstension , and slop in this closed space. You can tighten up a wobbler by lightly peening the pivot pin. On these aluminum engine's with there small, to medium bolt's, you will find a 1/4" drive set very useful. My 3/8" set see's very little use, and my 1/2" set is for flywheel nut's. If you have 1/4" & 3/8" drive's, get the exstension's, you will certainly need them, along with the expander's, and reducer's for those hard to reach place's.

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

Wrap electrical tape around the swivel to make it stiffer.
I'm thinking a 1990 motor may have the hitch pin disconnect on the starboard side.

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I think its really a great service you guys provide by contributing to help do-it-yourselfers. For those out there dropping LU with as little experience as me and working with the vague all-in-one manual, the trick is there is NO SHIFT ROD RETAINING SCREW per se. The shift rod is released by removing a pull pin (like a cotter pin clip) from a horizontal shaft runing beamwise (rotated by the shifting cable via rigth angle bracket at the starboard side of the shaft) and then pushing the horizontal shaft from starboard to port which in turn slides a retaining pin (on a right angle bracket at the port side of the shaft) out from a hole in the end of the shift rod coming up from the LU. I can't believe I did this several years and could not recall at first how it worked.

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

Yup.Yours has one of the split type couplers that doesn't require the removal of a shift rod pin/bolt.Almost impossible to tell by looking until you've uncoupled one.

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

That's the type I mentioned. they are much easier to to do than the type with the bolt. Still can be a pain to get hooked back up sometimes.

Re: shift rod disconnect on 88 hp 1990 Evinrude

You got that right Walker.I always pull the starter and intake silencer on my 70.Just makes things alot clearer.Each engine compartment has it's own little blind spots.