I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Putzaroni1 · Jul 31, 2013

I am trying to remove the lower unit to do an impeller on a 1989 Evinrude 9.9 but it will not go into reverse so I can get access to the bolts to disconnect the shift rod. I have tried what the Machinist recommends by pulling on the starter chord and that turns the flywheel the prop but while it easily goes back and forth between neutral and forward, it just wont' shift into reverse. It has plastic parts and I don't want to force it.

What do I try next ? I need to get a socket in there to turn the horizontal bolts.

OptsyEagle · Aug 1, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Have you tried manually moving the propeller and shifting at the same time?

Chinewalker · Aug 1, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Turn the throttle down a bit. Might be butting up against the lock-out.

Putzaroni1 · Aug 1, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Thank you both for your responses. I have tried the throttle in all different positions watching that it is not interfering with anything. I also tried turning the prop while it's in both neutral and forward to see if it would then allow it to drop back into reverse. I just want to get enough of a gap to get at the bolts to remove the lower unit. Once I have it off I can isolate if the issue is in the shifter or in the leg itself.

the machinist · Aug 1, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Not sure why it won't go in reverse, but you may be able to reach in with a large screwdriver to access that shifting rod coupler bolt.

SumDumGuy · Aug 1, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

I am not sure if the bolt you mention is a hex head type or a driver head. However, if it is a hex head type bolt you could use a small crows foot or a modified (bent) wrench to remove the bolt. No worries if the bolt falls, you can recover it when the lower is removed.

raczekp1 · Aug 1, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Johnson 15 HP Outboard Water Pump Replacement - YouTube

Putzaroni1 · Aug 3, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Update:
I had a chance to spend some time on this just now. I discovered that if I pryed the lower unit gentle way from the top section of the motor I could get in there with a screw driver and put a wrench on the screw driver so that I didnt' strip the bolt. I loosened and removed the bolt and still was unable to lower the motor. I then took a deadblow hammer and gently hammered the fins on the lower unit with a wood block so I wouldn't damage the fins. It moved slowly but surely. I eventually was able to pull it off but discovered that the drive shaft is stuck in the top section of the motor. I sprayed some Moveit penetrating oil down the drive shaft and we'll see if that frees it up.

It looks like the lower unit shifting rod is moving freely and that the shifter lever too moves as it should. I'm guessing it must have something to do with the drive shaft.

Any quick tips on how to get the drive shaft out of the top section of the motor if it's stuck in there ?

boobie · Aug 3, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Have you got the mtr upside down ?? If you do spray a lot of PB Blaster down the D/S.

Putzaroni1 · Aug 5, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

So I tried MoveIT which is pretty good penetrating oil but no go. I then took your advice, hung the motor by the driveshaft using a piece of fuel line with hose clamps which worked great. I hung it from a small chain and purchased some PB Blaster. I ran a bunch down the driveshaft and let it sit for probably 4 hours. I was coming home a the end of last night and grabbed the chain and gave it a bit of a shake and ......Voila ! It came apart.

That PB Blaster is amazing and so are you guys... Probably would have never got it out of there on my own. Now I'm ordering the water pump kit and will post one more time when it's back together if it works. I haven't seen a stuck driveshaft in any of the posts regarding not being able to shift into reverse but with everything apart I'm thinking it should work well as the lever moves freely and the shift rod in the lower unit seems to click twice which would tell me one is into neutral and the 2nd into reverse. More to come later this week when it's all back together.

Thanks so much again for all the advice !

boobie · Aug 5, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

Don't forget to grease the splines on the top of the drive shaft when you put it back together.

Putzaroni1 · Aug 9, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

So I went to put the new impeller in tonight and had everything ready to go when I noticed that the slot on the driveshaft where the keyway goes is a couple inches too high. I have done a few of these now and never seen this. The gears are engaged and when I turn the prop the drive shaft turns and same with the prop when I turn the driveshaft clockwise.

Why is it sitting so high ? I tried to get it to go down but it seems like it's down as far as it goes. I drained all of the oil out of the leg and am wondering if there is something in the hole where the driveshaft sits that's blocking it or if I'm just missing something.

Any suggestions ?

raczekp1 · Aug 10, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

i bet drive shaft lower splines didnt fit in lower part of lower unit

Putzaroni1 · Aug 11, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

I tried this again tonight and thought I might give it a couple love taps with a small dead blow hammer. I figured if it moved when I tapped it, it's OK but if it doesn't I would stop. I greased up the end of the drive shaft and tapped it and it did move. I gave it 6 or 7 light taps and it dropped right into place. The lower unit is back together, it shifts nicely and now I just need to see if it pumps water. That's my test for tomorrow.
More to come.

Putzaroni1 · Aug 11, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

You guys are the best ! This forum is awesome.
If you can help a rookie like me to bring a $100 motor back to life, you are amazing !!! Thank you, Thank you.

So I threw a new set of Champion plugs in this motor and fired it up in a bucket. She ran pretty good but wouldn't idle. I made some adjustments to the slow idle jet and the idle speed control and it would idle in neutral. It was only pumping drips of water. I did a bit more research on the forums and found the suggestion about shoving weed eater line into the ____ hole (couldn't say it ;-)
I could feel a blockage so I saw a post about using compressed air to dislodge any debris. Drips of brownish water came first and 3 or 4 squirts of air and it flows like a champ now.

Thank you a ton ! Time to tak'er fishin' !

raczekp1 · Aug 12, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

check termostat also
water from pee hole should pee like 18year boy can do
pee hole indicator is first point where water enters from water pump+ water pipe+ upper gromet

this upper grommet is locking sometimes

Putzaroni1 · Aug 13, 2013

Re: I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

It is peeing awesome now but I would love to do the thermostat but it's tough getting the bolts out I'm guessing as they are likely seized. I'd hate to strip one or break the head off and try to get out out...... Are these usually ugly to remove ?

I'm stumped - Remove lower unit 89 Evinrude 9.9

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