2004 Tohatsu 6 hp 4 stroke,Can't get lower unit back on...

[Wildwood Dean]

Changed the impeller pump on a 6 hp Tohatsu 4 stroke, and I can't get lower unit back on. The shaft goes on until about 1.5" left and it hits something and stops. I've wiggle and turned and adjusted but can't get it to go. It's not the shift rod, and I've tried forward, reverse, neutral, spinning the prop, etc. I've done this before on other motors with no problems. Am I missing something? Thanks.

 

[pvanv]

Take a break and try again. It's a matter of feel. The shaft is not aligning with the crank splines.

 

[Wildwood Dean]

Good advice. Thanks.

 

[Sea Rider]

When the drive shaft has stopped going any further in, rotate the flywheel CW with hand and the shaft will slide easy peachy all the way in. Don't forget to grease the upper drive shaft's splines well in advance before insertion...

Happy Boating​

 

[MattFL]

I have the same motor (whatever revision they were producing in 2012), it takes patience the first time you do it. Shine a flashlight up the mid-section before you start so you can see what's in there, that might help you visualize where you need to put the shaft.

 

[Sea Rider]

Shine a flashlight up the mid-section before you start so you can see what's in there, that might help you visualize where you need to put the shaft.

The only things that will surely see with a flashlight is the water pick up tube and the round middle leg path where the drive gear passes by on its way up to have intercourse with the lower crankshaft. Paul is right it's a matter of feel along turning the flywheel CW while pushing the lower leg up and Bingo!!

Happy Boating​

 

[km1125]

I had the same motor and the thing that would always get me was the shift shaft. It hits to the inside of the housing about the same time the driveshaft should be lining up, so you hear the metallic 'ting' like the driveshaft is hitting and you mess around with that but that's not it at all.

The shift shaft has to go through the lower housing to interact with the tilt lock mechanism. If you don't have that lined up right, you won't be able to get the lower unit to raise all the way up.

It helps with two people. One holding the lower unit and raising it up, and one sticking their finger inside the place where you connect the shift shaft and moving that around a little until it pops in place. I've also pulled the shift shaft up to the "fwd" position but be careful that you don't pull too far or spin it because that will screw up the alignment inside the lower unit If you do this you also have to make sure you push it back down before you clamp it to the upper shift shaft section.