OMG, Do I Need To take apart my lower unit Johnson 115.

Daveparm

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Here is the story, I went to pull a lower unit with a stuck driveshaft and got it off sans driveshaft (still in the powethead). When I opened the water pump case the key was nowhere to be found. The unit was pulled a couple weeks ago, so it may have dropped on the floor, or ..... Fell in the gearcase. The motor is a 97 so it has a plastic (vinyl) half moon key. If it is in the gearcase would it do no harm as it is plastic, or do I need to tear apart to see if it's there? Thanks.
 

DouglasW

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No expert here, but....why not drain it and see if it comes out with the gear lube? Maybe even flush the lube out? Long shot for sure, but you would do that anyway.
 

Daveparm

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Thanks, IIdid drain the fluid, but the key on these loopers is way to large to fit through a drain hole.
 

DouglasW

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I'm fairly new here but I am pretty sure you will get more helpful answers :)
 

Daveparm

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Wheww Thanks racerone. Is it impossible to do? What usually happens when you pull the shaft out of the LU. I do have a key from my spare lower unit, but I didn't want to drop it in and experiment. Lol.
 

Joe Reeves

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As Racerone states in not so many words... and as you have most likely reasoned out by now... in simply dismantling the water pump, the gearcase is still completely sealed. That key simply slipped out and fell down into a water drain cavity or the water intake area. Turn the gearcase upside down to find your lost key. You do not want it laying in the water intake area if that's where it fell!
 

jakedaawg

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Curious as to how you removed lower while leaving what I assume you meant as the vertical shaft in the powerhead without removing the pinion nut?
 

Chris1956

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Those motors have 2 piece driveshafts. I will guess he used wedges to force the driveshaft to pull out of the coupler.
 

racerone

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The impeller drive key can not find it's way into the gearcase !----Yes they are a 2 piece driveshaft on these.-----And some of the newer lower units now do not have a pinion nut.---They use a bolt from the top.----That can be done because of the 2 piece design.
 

Faztbullet

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Those motors have 2 piece driveshafts. I will guess he used wedges to force the driveshaft to pull out of the coupler.
That would have damaged key and WP liner as been there done that....
 

Daveparm

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No pinion nut on the bottom of the driveshaft .

Joe, just to be clear I pulled the lower unit by prying it off. Driveshaft still solidly attached to power head. Lower unit was pulled and shaft was pulled out of it without taking the water pump housing off. This left the large unsealed (as driveshaft was pulled) hole for the key to fall into.
 

Daveparm

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Cancel that last post as the others just came in with the two piece statement.
 

Daveparm

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The water pump liner still looks o.k. who know where the dammaged key is. There is oil if I look down the hole where the driveshaft was. If this is two piece, how was or should I lubricate it.
 

racerone

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No need to worry about lubrication here.------The gear oil does that if properly filled !!-----That pinion nut would be on the very bottom of the lower driveshaft.-----There obviously is no need for a nut on the bottom of the upper driveshaft.
 

Daveparm

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Just rechecked the WP liner and there looks like driveshaft opening doesn't look mangled from the pull, but there are scuff wear rings around it from use. Is this reusable?
 

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Daveparm

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Sep 13, 2014
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Looks like my spare has a much better cup. I will use it . There appears to be a sealing compound that was used to slightly secure it. Would 3m 847 or Evinrude gasket sealing compound be best.
 

Daveparm

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Just checked the manual .looks like Evinrude compound it is. Thanks & sorry for so many posts.
 

Chris1956

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Gee, the gearcase on the '98 Johnny 115HP 60* V4 has a nut under the pinion gear. Why would there not be one on the '97 he has?

Just askin
 
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