35 hp Evinrude Drain screw

jjdm100 · #1 March 8th, 2006, 06:24 PM

I pulled the lower unit drain screw and drained my gear oil. Then I went to reinsert the drain screw and it will not go in. There is a piece of metal in the way. It looks like it moves when I change from Neutral to Forwardto Reverse. I can not get the gear oil drin screw back in. What is going on? What can I do to fix it? (The drain screw is about 1/2" of threads then a 3/4" smooth shaft on the end of it.) Is that normal, too?

Thank you for your help.

OBJ · #2 March 8th, 2006, 06:30 PM

You pulled the wrong screw Adam. The screw you pulled holds the shift yoke in place. See if you can fiddle around with the gear shift lever and get the holes to line back up. The drain plug screw is the large one kinda under neath the gear case.

EDIT: If you can lay the motor on it's side, that would help.

jjdm100 · #3 March 8th, 2006, 06:32 PM

Thank you! Oops! : )

byacey · #4 March 8th, 2006, 10:42 PM

Be careful not to overtighten when re-installing. It's easy to strip the threads on the housing. The one I have - the threads were all but gone when I got it. Rather than fool around with helicoils, I re-tapped for 5/16 NF, and machined a stainless steel Allen head capscrew to the right diameter and length for the pivot.