[Proteam]

I was going to drain the oil on my 1960 Lark that i just got and inadvertently removed the wrong screw causing the gears to drop out of where they were. I removed the top vent plug and I did not realize that the drain plug was UNDER the unit rather than just below like every other normal motor.
I can get the screw back in but I can't get the gears back in place to where they belong and I am looking for any tips at all to do this.
Thanks in advance for any help that I can get.

[CATransplant]

Oops! Actually, the gears haven't gone any where. The shift yoke has moved, though. That screw is the pivot for that yoke. It has happened to many of us. Sometimes...sometimes...you can jiggle the part back in position. I've done it. What I did was to remove the outboard from the boat and lay it on its side, with the hold for the pivot screw up.

Then, with a strong flashlight in hand, I bumped the front and rear of the lower unit with a rubber hammer, until I could see the yoke's pivot through the hole. Then, I took a skinny awl and worked with it until the hole was in position, and reinserted the pivot screw. It took me about half an hour to get it done, once the outboard was on the ground.

Oh, yeah...drain the oil befored doing this, though.

Again, it might work. It might not. It's a frustrating job, but oh, it makes you happy when you finally get it back in position.

The alternative is to remove the lower cap on the gearcase and fiddle it back into place from below. But, then, you have to reseal the cap, and that takes some spaghetti seal and sealant. If you can do it otherwise, I advise it.