won't shift to forward after rock hit

Well the wife finally killed the boat/outboard. Rig is a 17' 1978 Silver line with a 1977 140HP Johnson outboard.

Background:
we were out on the water last Sunday and when passing another boat between an island she went 30ft from shore and hit a rock reef. My son and i were facing the rear and seen the motor pop up and then back down. After quick inspection, i started it up and found that it would not engage in forward but reverse would work. the control cables just felt really tight/stiff.

The Damage:
i will have to inspect the transom next spring but right now want to start looking at the outboard.
- the skegg is bent something fierce and the front on the gear case scrapped. but she does not leak.
- What i noticed is that reverse still works the same speed range just the controls are really tight to pull back.
- when i got it in my drive way i pulled off the control cable and manually pushed down the shift rod. i did get it into some gear but it was way out of the rotation of the shifting rotation.
- After a lower unit oil change (no water in the case) i noticed six or seven small metal shavings on the drain magnet. doesn't seem too bad
- Prop still rotates good and when we were reversing home i never heard or felt anything out of the ordinary.

Here is what i was thinking.

Question:
- pull off the lower unit and inspect the shift rod. Can i take off the shift rod cover and inspect/replace that section without pulling apart the whole thing (drive shaft prop etc)?

i hoping it is a damaged shift rod, push rod

- i have bolt pullers and clamp pullers and a had a few engines and transfer cases apart in my time, do i need any special tool to get this thing apart if need be?

Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

You say that the front of the gearcase is scrapped. I assume that means that the forward dome portion of the gearcase is really shoved in. Unfortunately that location is right where the shift linkage is and from the description you give of the problem that linkage is damaged. That is the very last component that is removed from the gearcase upon disassembly.

Best to have a factory service manual to dismantle/reassemble that unit. A puller will be needed to remove the carrier housing (propshaft/brg/seal housing), also a special wrench with a curved underside to clear the clutch dog will be required to remove the pinion gear nut. On reassembly, that nut needs to be torqued to factory specs.

Count the turns needed to seat the shift rod and mark it down so that you can back it out to that same measurement height. That measurement is critical for proper shifting.

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

My best guess is that not only is the skeg bent, the whole gearcase is bent between the "bullet" and the cavitation plate. That is causing binding in the powershift piston area.

Prop shaft and powershift assembly are keyed together and both have to be removed/reinstalled together at the same time.

You will need a honking-big pair of snap ring pliers. And more if you have to replace the case.

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

Thanks for the replies. I have a OEM Clymer manual and a Johnson outboard shop manual. but the disassembly of the gear case is breezed over relatively quickly with only a few pictures.

Next time i'm out at the lake i'll pull off the lower end and bring it back. i'll pull off the shift rod cover and see what i can see (hopefully i can get a couple good pictures to post). I'll call around and see about a shop around here and what a repair might cost. Although the cost will probably be more it's worth (plus the transom still needs a look over) so it looks like i'll have to go at is myself.

i am hoping the rig is not a right off, at least for a couple more years. (don't know how i am going to teach the wife to drive)

Joe Reeves:

the forward dome portion is damaged but not pushed in. looks like a scrap. I actually missed it at first. the main impact and drag is on the skegg about 1" below drain plug and dragged right down to the bottom.

F_R:

the cavitation plate to top of bullet appears square and symmetrical. but i'll see more once i pull it off.

Thanks again guys, any tips, tricks, warnings most appreciated.

P.S. i may be looking for a new boat and wife next spring

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

Joe Reeves said:

You say that the front of the gearcase is scrapped. I assume that means that the forward dome portion of the gearcase is really shoved in.

Click to expand...

I think OP meant "scraPed", not "scraPPed"..

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

hehehe oops, yeah thanks, scrape

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

Scraped, Scrapped..... trick word, dual spelling. Various spell checkers accept both spellings.

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

Well it's a new year. ran out of time last fall so i just now got around to looking at the damage.

1) the gear case is leaking a small leak by where the skeg meets the housing behind the prop.

so i am looking for a used/rebuilt lower unit for the 1977 johnson 140HP.

anyone know of any good locations in Manitoba, Canada???

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

all right, looks like a have a Frankenstein. Power head from 1977, leg from 1980, lower unit housing 1978-198? stern drive. insides 1977.

- as best i can tell someone took the insides out of the newer housing and put the gears and old hydralic assist oil pump into the newer housing.

they did a good job, since she worked well for the last 6 years. anyway after i start to go through it in the vice she shifted no problems.

So will change the shift rod seal and impeller then put it back on as see if i can synch it.

Re: won't shift to forward after rock hit

Sounds like that Johnny Cash song about the guy that worked in the Cadillac factory.