Help needed!!! Having trouble with 1998 johnson 30hp

I have a johnson 1998 30hp motor and I cannot figure out how to take the lower unit off. While trying to take the unit off I removed a phillips screw next to the drain/fill plug and now this screw will not go back into place. Please tell me how to get screw back in and remove lower unit.<br /><br />Thanks, Nick

Re: Help needed!!! Having trouble with 1998 johnson 30hp

Hi Nick....welcome to the forum.<br /><br />What ya' removed was the shift lever pivot pin. <br /><br />If ya' got all the bolts out and it still won't drop, what ya' need to do is remvoe the water intake screen from the lower unit. Behind it you will see the upper to lower shift rod keeper assembly. Take a couple wrenches and disconnect the assembly. Carefully remove the little plastic piece that looks like a piece outta a Swaglock fitting. The lower unit should come off now. <br /><br />To replace the pivot screw, lay the gearcase flat and with a flashlight look in the screw hole and move the shift rod up and down until you can see the hole in the shift lever. Install the pivot pin.

Re: Help needed!!! Having trouble with 1998 johnson 30hp

i believe that screw you screwed with holds the shift cam in place, big oops, you will need a service manual if you want to get this all back together yourself, for you to remove your gear case, the water pickup plates on the foot will have to be removed, so you can get to the shift coupler, then un bolt the gearcase on off she will come, then next thing to do is to try and get that shift pin back into the shift lever, you may have to wiggle and jiggle it around to line it back up,<br /><br />good luck, keep us posted