OMC 800 lower unit removal

Hello,

So last year the internals of my 1985 OMC 800 lower unit disintegrated and I need to know if I can drop the lower and just unbolt the shift cable housing from the lower and just remove it?

Re: OMC 800 lower unit removal

I wouldnt recommend it. Those shift cables are very delicate and extremely expensive to replace if you damage them. Keep in mind that the shift cable has built in/molded rubber o-ring sections that cannot be over stressed without damaging them. This cable costs upward of $600 to replace and you do not want to risk stressing it while improperly routing it during a drive disassembly procedure. I would recommend removing the drive(per the OEM service manual) then removing the upper from the lower and then the lower from the exhaust housing. Of all the areas you may get away with cutting corners when working on a stringer drive, the shift cable is not one of them.

Re: OMC 800 lower unit removal

JKR85 said:

Hello,
if I can drop the lower and just unbolt the shift cable housing from the lower and just remove it?

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no - the shift housing will unbolt from the lower, but you'll still be connected to the slave rack and pinion inside the lower with your cable and I wouldn't recommend trying to take that apart unless you need to change out the cable.. it's not meant to come apart easily.. needs to be on the bench for that.