help...ujoint shaft doesn't spin

Hey ..
so at the beach to anchor the boat and anchor didnt sit well and ran to the shore and the scag must have hit the bottom...i pushed the boat into deeper water then tried to start engine and go forward and noticed knocking kind of sound. i look down into the engine and notice that there is a shaft going through the transom and to the outdrive that is not spinning which it is supposed to be doing.
anyone know what possible damage this is? i talked to a mechanic of mine and he said its the defner (sp?) and that the engine will have to come out to get to that.

thanks for your help.
2.5L merc 120 hp 1988 with alpha one, gen one outdrive

Re: help...ujoint shaft doesn't spin

Coupler. Bolted to the flywheel, looks like this: http://www.mercruiserparts.com/showSpecialPicture.asp?pn=12632A7

Re: help...ujoint shaft doesn't spin

And yup the engine has to come out and drive removed to change it. And check the splines on the shaft carefully, as worn ones will cause new coupler to fail early, as will not greasing it yearly.

Re: help...ujoint shaft doesn't spin

As will not aligning it correctly.

Re: help...ujoint shaft doesn't spin

could it be that since the mechanic had the outdrive out in sept last year and that could have caused it to happen now? i mean i used the boat for 2 months after he did rebuilt the lower unit because of a broken drive shaft and now this season i have been using the boat for 3 months. so based on this any chance that it wasn't aligned proper?

how much should these parts run me?


today was hell to get it towed but ended up getting that for free so lucked out. now i will still have to tow it to a loading ramp if possible or pay to get it forklifted/crane out which i was quoted $90 and they will put it on my trailer.

this really sucks!! i may not even be able to be on the water for the rest of the short season now.