mickarch
Seaman
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2007
- Messages
- 74
Hi All,
New to the forum and boating in general and was hoping I could get some advice. Bought an old boat with and old outboard (1956 merc 350, 35hp 2 cylinder) this fall and as I was winterizing it, discovered that the gear lube was completely white. Well, I decided that I would take off the lower unit and replace all the seals. I have a Seloc manual, but it gives very little direction on the actual removal of the lower unit.
I removed all 4 bolts (once I found the one under the zinc trim tab) and the lower unit did drop about 3-4 inches then hung up. The shift shaft has a splined coupling right at the top of the lower unit where it split apart. What seems strange is that the copper water supply tube came down with the lower unit too (stuck in the pump). That is not shown in the manual as a part that is supposed to come out attached to the lower unit. I can wiggle the drive shaft around a little, pretty sure its free of the crank. There is also some sort of aluminum "box" that seems to be attached to the lower unit that is sliding down out of the tower part as well, this would be to the rear of the drive shaft, which of course is not shown in the manual (anybody know what that is).
As I said, the whole lower unit drops enough to make me think is should just come right off, but then hangs up on something. I can rotate it forward and backward, the whole thing is loose, just won't come off. I didn't want to just beat on it, yet. Any thoughts on what might be hanging up and what to do about the water tube?
Sorry about the long post, but I wanted to give as much detail as I could. Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.
Mick
New to the forum and boating in general and was hoping I could get some advice. Bought an old boat with and old outboard (1956 merc 350, 35hp 2 cylinder) this fall and as I was winterizing it, discovered that the gear lube was completely white. Well, I decided that I would take off the lower unit and replace all the seals. I have a Seloc manual, but it gives very little direction on the actual removal of the lower unit.
I removed all 4 bolts (once I found the one under the zinc trim tab) and the lower unit did drop about 3-4 inches then hung up. The shift shaft has a splined coupling right at the top of the lower unit where it split apart. What seems strange is that the copper water supply tube came down with the lower unit too (stuck in the pump). That is not shown in the manual as a part that is supposed to come out attached to the lower unit. I can wiggle the drive shaft around a little, pretty sure its free of the crank. There is also some sort of aluminum "box" that seems to be attached to the lower unit that is sliding down out of the tower part as well, this would be to the rear of the drive shaft, which of course is not shown in the manual (anybody know what that is).
As I said, the whole lower unit drops enough to make me think is should just come right off, but then hangs up on something. I can rotate it forward and backward, the whole thing is loose, just won't come off. I didn't want to just beat on it, yet. Any thoughts on what might be hanging up and what to do about the water tube?
Sorry about the long post, but I wanted to give as much detail as I could. Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.
Mick