lower unit removal

1988 Evinrude 25hp.

Ok, I cant get the lower unit off, the shift shaft is connected different from any other outboard I have ever owned.

I unbolted the lower unit, then dropped it an inch or so, then took the water screens off to reveal the brass connectors. This connector is different, it has 2 brass nuts, or pieces. The top looks like an ordinary nut, but the bottom is like a barrel brass looking nut...its weird looking.

The whole lower unit slides all the way down, but catches on these nuts...I dont know how to get them off. When I unscrewed the nuts with a wrench, it just unscrewed the shift shaft out of the lower part of the lower unit.

any ideas.

Re: lower unit removal

Well Joho, you can't take off the lower unit on that model without removing the powerhead, then...............
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....
...

Just kidding,
After you disconnect the nuts you're seeing behind the intake screens, you have to push the brass nut up the shift shaft a llittle ways. Then, you'll see a little upside down cone-shaped black plastic "keeper" on the shift shaft that the nut fits over. That darned cone-shaped keeper looks like it is one piece but actually is split. Take a little screwdriver and gently pry it apart and slide the keeper off the shaft. Then, the nut will come off the shift shaft and "voila", she's free and clear and you're swatting yourself upside the head for not looking it up on the parts manual and wanting to strangle the first OMC engineer that you find.......... It's kind of like the Home Depot commercial with the squirrels in the garden------I've been there, too!
Later,
JBJ

Re: lower unit removal

thanks man, but the 2 nuts do have to be unscrewed from each other first? Like I will have to hold the bottom barrel nut and then turn the top one counter clockwise? then when they come apart, then I proceed to slide the nut up and do what you said?

thanks man

Re: lower unit removal

Yes, totally unscrew them counterclockwise (they are regular threads and you will need a backup wrench on the bottom nut) and the top nut will slide up, the bottom down. They will be hard to slide because the plastic keeper is held closed on the shaft by the barrel of the nut.
Good luck,
JBJ

Re: lower unit removal

don't loose that plastic keeper...it's not part of the rebuild kit.

MAS

Re: lower unit removal

thanks guys...much help.