PANIC!!! Bad News, I Think??

I was putting the lower unit back together and getting ready to reattach the thing.As I said in an earlier post,the gears,bearings, etc. all looked suprisingly good despite the fact that the thing had NO lube in it.Looks like it was drained in the past.<br />I got everything back together and gave the drive shaft a twist.No movement at all.It seemed like it was locked up tight.Took the thing apart all over again and looked around and could not find a thing wrong.Everything spins fine without the bottom part of the lower unit attached.Re-attached everything again,making sure the shift lever was in nuetral and tightened down the screws.No Movement! Took the thing apart once again and found something that has scared the crap out of me.Please take a peek Lower unit from back . lower unit from front.According to the Seloc bible, there's supposed to be a pin on each outer part of the bearing that lines up with a hole on the bearing itself.Front bearing has one.No problem.Back bearing has what appears to be a "nub" and nothing else.Has this freakin' pin broken off??<br />I looked a little closer at the back bearing itself and found two little "dents" that just happen to match up with the leftovers of the pin back bearing.Am I nuts? Has this thing actually broken off.I can run my finger along the inside of the bearing and feel how the pin just barely sticks up.I'm pretty sure it's time to shop for a new lower unit.A machine shop would cost just as must to drill this thing out and reinstall a new pin.<br />Somebody please tell me I'm wrong and I don't know what I'm talking about.As you can all see lower unit, this thing looks in too good of shape to just give up.

Re: PANIC!!! Bad News, I Think??

You're calling the positioned bearing retainers in reverse order.<br /><br />The rear pin (Pin closest to propeller) is as it should be.<br /><br />The forward pin (Pin closest to transom... furtherest away from prop) has been smashed in due to not having the forward bearing retaining hole aligned with the pin.<br /><br />It can be drilled out and replaced of course. However, if any portion of that pin is still sticking out, I'd suggest that you have the lower unit upside down, assemble the gears etc and align the retaining hole of the forward bearing so that you can feel it drop over the pin.<br /><br />The two pins are identical and are OMC part number 300611, available at your local dealership.

Re: PANIC!!! Bad News, I Think??

The arm (shift yoke)that moves the shift (clutch) dog has a pin that goes through it from the outside of the gearcase, it will have a philips head. If the pin does not capture the shift arm properly the arm will sit in the gear and effectively jam it. Your front gear (reverse gear) is fine, the pin and hole are good. From looking at all your pics the rest seems OK. I dont recall a pin for the "back" bearing, my diagrams only show the front pin.

Re: PANIC!!! Bad News, I Think??

Thanks Joe, I bow to your knowledge relating to a pin for both . Geekomatic....Go with the JOE!

Re: PANIC!!! Bad News, I Think??

Commander Joe, That sounds plausible.So the prop end of the unit is actually considered the back?<br />Can I drill this pin out myself with something like a dremel? If so,then I'm OK,and not quite as panicky. This isn't the strangest thing I've found so far.All of the fuel lines on the outboard were dry rotted and cracked so I replaced them.I Looked a little further.The old lines were actually windshield washer fluid pump lines.They were printed as such right down the side of the line.I think it's a miracle that a floating bonfire didn't occur somewhere.<br />Daveswaves- Took me a small while to figure out the pin with the philips head on the outside of the gearcase.At first, I thought it was the unit's drain plug.That was until I saw the screw that is clearly stamped "drain hole" !<br />I originally dinked around with your theory and what got me so mad was the fact that I was aligning the shift yoke perfectly with the pin hole everytime and it would still lock up as soon as I tightened everything back down.<br />I've figured out that when I allot a certain amount of time for any job concerning this outboard and the boat,for that matter,I need to go ahead and add an extra week.Geez.It's still fun and highly educational,however.<br />One other note:When I originally took off the lower unit,it contained a resident.Just in front of the water pump was nice big fat black widow spider.Canned air is a wonderful thing because it contains lots of Ether and propels small objects great distances....<br />Thanks for everybody's help so far.Any input is always welcome.<br />Still a novice at this stuff,but feelin' pretty confident.<br />Think I'll try experimental aircraft next

Re: PANIC!!! Bad News, I Think??

on the mashed pin<br /> I usually can use a punch and carefully drive it further down unless its been driven once before. was a common thing in years past. its eaasy to miss and when ya tighten up the halves the pin gets pushed into the case. most had the hole drilled deep enough to accept 2 pins .

Re: PANIC!!! Bad News, I Think??

I've figured out that when I allot a certain amount of time for any job concerning this outboard and the boat,for that matter,I need to go ahead and add an extra week.

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<br /><br />Join the club Pal! That's boating for you. Reminds me of the old saying:<br /><br />Why is there never enough time to do it right first off, but always enough time to redo it?