Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

[cbrown540]

Hi...I recently removed the lower leg of my 88 johnson 140 to replace the water pump impeller. That was the easy part...30 mins of work and the impeller is changed and ready to install the lower unit... that's where trouble hit. I get the water tube lined up, and slide it up only to be stopped by the shift shaft not finding it's way through the curved route it must take to get into the upper unit. Looking up the shift shaft tube with a flashlight, I can see where it is stopping....what can I do to get it to slide into place? I've checked the shift height from neutral and it is bang on 21-15/16". The shaft rotates freely so I've tried holding it straight with needle nose pliers and it still won't go. This is not an issue of the shifter being in the correct position...The issue is getting the shift shaft to go through the hole into the upper unit. It is stopping before the drive shaft splines can even start mating. Please help!!!

 

[Eyeballsdeep]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

Try putting the lower unit in gear and and the shift lever the opposite way. Then you can slide the lower end all the way up and bolt it in. Then with the access port removed you can guide the linkage with your pliers into place, while moving the shift lever. Easier said then done though. I alway find it a pain. Although I haven't touched anything over 40hp. Maybe some of the more experienced guys could give you a better way.
Ok disregard everything I just said I see your dilemma. Can you tape string to the shift shaft to guide it through the hole?

 

[racerone]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

No access port on one of these motors.----The shift shaft can hardly cause the problem,---Put control in forward and lower unit in reverse and try again.------Have an assistant slowly rotate the flywheel when you try and install it.

 

[petvetdoc]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

I just had the exact same problem with a 1986 Johnson 140 HP.
The shift shaft wouldn't go through the hole in the steering arm below the power head.
I put the lower unit in as far as it would go and held it there hanging on temporary longer bolts into midsection to keep things aligned, then tilted engine down to vertical. This changed the orientation of the steering arm where the shift shaft would clear once I tilted the engine down. That steering arm seems to have some give/flex in it. I don't know if it is supposed to, but that fixed my alignment problem

 

[cbrown540]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

Thanks for the quick replies guys. Eyeballsdeep...I tried the string method already with a helper in the boat pulling up on the string while I raised the lower unit...that didn't help

Racerone...I tried this with the shifter in forward and the lower unit in reverse...I was turning the prop to try to get the splines to index. Maybe I'll try again with a helper turning the flywheel.

petvetdoc....THAT sounds interesting! I will try this today and post back the results. After reading your reply this morning I did lower the engine vertical and looked back up the shift shaft tube...doesn't look like much changed at all at the far end, but I will try your method anyway. When you mention the 'steering arm' what are you referring to? Is it the little bend the shift shaft tube takes at the top before entering the engine area? It looks like that bend is metal and shouldn't/wouldn't have any play/give.View attachment 230485View attachment 230487View attachment 230485View attachment 230487 I have made a sketch of what I am seeing...see below. The shift shaft must take a bend in the tube at the top. The very top area where the bend is looks like metal and the shaft seems to be binding at the very top and can't make the bend at the top to get fully into the upper unit. In the second sketch below, you can see the view from looking straight up the shift shaft tube. The hole where the shaft enters the engine area is at the top. I have tried greasing the snot out of the tip of the shift shaft to try and help it slide easier in the bend but no luck.

As a final note...to put it into perspective, when raising the lower unit, I can only get it up so far and when it stops going up, there is still a big gap, about 3 inches between lower and mid section...the bolts aren't long enough to even get it started. This is why I'm intrigued by petvet's suggestion as it sounds like he had the exact same problem as me.

 

[racerone]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

As far as I am concerned you are overthinking this.----Have done this operation many times and never a problem.

 

[cbrown540]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

I tried every one of these suggestions tonight and the darn thing will NOT go in...I even had a helper and we tried for an hour. I'm so fed up with trying everything under the sun that I may just make a service apointment. I wish it was as easy as you say racerone. If it was just a matter of putting it up with everything aligned it would be in by now. Something is stopping it and it's driving me nuts.

 

[Bluefish]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

Don’t know if your drive shaft has one but is the old O-ring still in the power head, or any burrs on the shaft it’s a tight fit or too much grease trapping air.

 

[cbrown540]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

The oring is on the drive shaft so that's OK. When I'm puswing the unit up it makes a metallic clunk sound when it gets stopped so I don't think it's a hydraulic lock but I will try removing the grease from the splines and re grease with a little less grease and try again.

 

[petvetdoc]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

You are having the exact problem I had. The tip of the shift shaft strikes the "steering arm' steel plate, before the offset shoulder of the shift shaft can clear the top of the tube, so the shift shaft won't move forward enough to get in the hole in the steering arm plate under the power head. What I am referring to as the steering arm plate is the piece the steering hooks to, probably not the correct name, but the shift shaft has to go through the hole in it. There is a rubber grommet in the hole.

I removed the lower cowling on the port side for more access ( 4 bolts and a clip-simple).
I put the lower unit up in as far as it would go and temporarily threaded 2 longer bolts into the mid section to hold everything in alignment.
I tilted the motor back to vertical.
I reached in from the port side with a long screwdriver and gently pried the tip of the shift shaft forward and the steel plate backward. This steering arm has some wiggle in it when in a vertical position.

This made just enough difference in the alignment that the shift shaft would enter the hole.

My adult sons and I had tried 10 times together to get it aligned before. I have done 5 lower units before and have rebuilt engines etc. so I am somewhat mechanically inclined. Not a pro, but have some idea of what I am doing.

By hanging it vertically off these longer, temporary alignment bolts, I was able to get it in place myself, twice actually, because the first time I was just trying a new approach, didn't expect it to work, and left out the exhaust housing!

I've never had a lower unit on any previous outboards not align like this before. I do think something is out of alignment somehow, but this approach worked for me. Buy 2 longer bolts and give it a try.

 

[cbrown540]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

Wow...so simple...after reading the replies carefully, a light came on. I had no idea the shift shaft is exposed between the tiller arm and upper unit! So I went ahead and lifted the lower unit until it stopped then clamped it in place with woodworking clamps and used a long screw driver to push the shaft forward into the hole leading to the upper unit then presto! I turned the prop which indexed the drive shaft splines and bolted it up. Perfect! I filled up the gear case with gear oil and fired up the engine. Tested that forward, neutral, and reverse work as they are supposed do and all is well. Thanks so much for your support and tips. For anybody stuck with this problem reading this post in the future, see the attached photos of where the shift shaft can be seen and accessed between the tiller arm and upper unit. And lucky me, I didn't even have to take the lower cowling off!

 

[cbrown540]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

Yes, my engine is a dirty pig. Now that it is mechanically sound again, I'm doing a full top to bottom cleaning of the boat.

 

[petvetdoc]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

Good job! looking at your picture, I see the hole isn't in the "steering arm", but in the plate above. Next time it will be easy. I do think mine is misaligned somehow, but it will go in with difficulty.

 

[cbrown540]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

Alright so I put it in the lake today for a real test. Started and idled fine and water flowing just fine so the water pump change was successful.

However...upon putting it into forward I hear a clunk and you can feel it through the whole boat. Getting to plane it may or may not make the loud clunk again. Going into reverse is fine, but after reversing then shifting to neutral it sometimes stays in reverse and I have to put the throttle just slightly into forward to get it back to neutral. Obviously there is a problem with either the shift shaft height or shifter cable. I do remember that the shift shaft was a little big out of alignment when I reinstalled the lower unit...I had to put the throttle slightly in forward to get the hole of the shift shaft to line up with the hole of the retaining screw. I should have realized this is not right and dealt with it at that time. Anyway I did have the shift shaft in reverse and the throttle in reverse when I reinstalled the lower. I also made myself a shift shaft height measuring tool and verified the correct height before re installing the lower unit.

Does it sound like I will have to pull the lower unit and re set the shift shaft height or is this something that can be adjusted on the shift cable so I don't have to yank the lower unit again? If pulling the lower I'm thinking I can have the throttle in reverse and give the shift shaft a few spins then reinstall, check alignment....If off take lower off again then adjust a couple more spins....keep doing this until the hole on the shift shaft is exactly lined up with the hole where the retaining screw goes in. Think that approach might work as well?

All my thoughts aside. .. what do you think will work best?

 

[cbrown540]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

It's more of a bang noise as opposed to a light clunk.

 

[petvetdoc]

Re: Can't install lower unit...shift shaft won't go into upper unit

I am not an expert, by a long ways, but assuming it shifted normally before you dropped the lower unit, I would say you need to drop lower unit, make sure you are in neutral, and get shift rod height correct.
Check cables, control and linkage for alignment, freedom of movement,etc.