dropping evinrude skeg

adamsnez2

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
47
hey guys,

i had my 1965 33hp 'rude in for servicing, needed a complete lower end.
get this, they had a spare one laying around and put it on. Turns out the bottom of skeg sits about 1/4" ABOVE the prop when its at its lowest point.
I figured "shouldnt, but whatever.."

WRONG. first minute out on the water i dragged against the bottom. Propr is SLIGHTLY reemed on all three blades.

First off, I have two extra skegs that are PROPER for that motor and prop.
I'm going to go back to the shop and say "can you put on the RIGHT skeg", as they shouldnt have put on an improper sized skeg, even though it fits.

Secondly, i have a service manual for this engine, i've never dropped a skeg before.. How EASY is it? There's only 9 bolts, and I know what the inside parts look like (from the old lower unit the shop gave me, i looked through all the gears, etc)..... But when you take off the entire skeg, what parts can fall out, etc... I know you have to ruin the gasket between skeg and lower unit, and oil will be EVERYWHERE, but will gears and stuff go falling around? How straight forward is "swapping skegs" and putting on a new gasket? (i like that liquid gasket i see people using, seems to me it would give a better seal than using a spaghetti-seal.

Thanks!
 

Mas

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
1,656
Re: dropping evinrude skeg

Are you certain the skeg is wrong verses the wrong prop?

Mas
 

adamsnez2

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
47
Re: dropping evinrude skeg

Yes. It's the original prop.
Original skeg had no clearance issues (i hit a rock HARD last year, prop never got hit), as well, spinning the prop before stayed perfectly above bottom of original skeg.

the new (old) skeg the shop put on sits 1/4" above prop when it's at lowest turn on the blades
 
D

DJ

Guest
Re: dropping evinrude skeg

It is a LOT easier to remove the lower unit and work on it upside down.

You will need a new "spaghetti" seal and don't forget new drain/fill plug screw seals.
 

adamsnez2

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
47
Re: dropping evinrude skeg

Good tip about doing it upside down.
seals yes i'm aware.

ok, once the motor is upside down, is it THAT easy? undo bolts, and swap?

Doesn't seem like if it's upside down anything shoudl move around, as nothing connected to skeg.
 

1946Zephyr

Vice Admiral
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
5,556
Re: dropping evinrude skeg

Once you get it removed and place it upside down, just remove the shift fork screw (the phillips screw that everyone removes by mistake for an oil change) and the screws that attach the lower half to the gear foot. That's it. Clean all the surfaces and apply new seals and you should be good to go.:cool:

I've heard people say that the lower unit housing should only be mated up with the original lower half, but I don't see any harm in that, because the bearings have their own races that mount in there. Just as long as there isn't any out of roundness in the bearing holes, then it should be just fine.
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: dropping evinrude skeg

Out-or-roundness of the holes is the problem. The upper and lower parts of the gearcase are bolted together, THEN the cavity is bored out. In theory, they are a matched set and you are not supposed to swap parts.

OK, I am well aware that some people have done it and gotten away with it. I suppose you could use an inside micrometer to check the hole for roundness.
 

1946Zephyr

Vice Admiral
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
5,556
Re: dropping evinrude skeg

If I'm not mistaken, the upper half and lower halves are casted as separate pieces, then they are bolted together and the bearing mounts are line bored as a matched unit, right? F_R is the expert on the cast molding of these parts:D
 
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