Cant remove lower unit, something caught at very end, shift rod? 1994 225hp johnson

[ctswf]

My friend started removing his lower unit and can't get it off.
Johnson outboard 225hp 1994

I stopped by to help, it pulls all the way out, then gets stuck at the very last point. It seems like the shift rod is what is hitting

I was not there when he started, I believe he tried spinning the shift rod in an attempt to get it out. I spun the shift rod a little back and forth but didnt want to get anything out of alignment, and did not spin it 180 degrees

Does it seem like this is the only possible cause? The shift rod is probably curved at the top? is spun out of alignment and hits at last exit point?

Thanks

 

[sutor623]

Did you remove the screw that connects the shift linkage to the shift shaft?

 

[ctswf]

Yes, he had removed the screw attached to the linkage up inside the cowling.
The leg then drops about 15 inches or so, but then is caught before you can fully remove it.

 

[sutor623]

Hmm, that is odd. I cant say that I have ever had this happen before. Once you get the shift linkage out of the grommet that is in the lower engine cowling it shouldn't have anything to get hung up on.

 

[ctswf]

thats what I thought. I have only pulled the lower unit off 2 other motors in my life so im not highly experienced.

The only thing I can think of is when the shift rod was turned now that S shape at the top of the rod is hitting right before it exits. It doesnt wedge, it kind of hits like a blunt bang on what ever it hits.

At this point I dont know to what degree the rod was turned/aligned.

i read u can turn the shift rod to adust up or down right? so I can turn it 360 degrees without hurting anything (other than an incorrect hight adjustment) in an attempt to "alighn" it to remove ?

..

 

[sutor623]

No cant hurt anything. I have the service manual for that engine so I can look up shift rod height adjustment if need be. If you can unscrew that rod all the way out and it helps the lower unit come free, go ahead and do it. It would be a good idea to count how many turns it takes to get it out so you can just count turns on the re-install.

 

[oldboat1]

If that model uses an old style shift rod connector, maybe the connecter is still attached to the lower rod (hanging up on the housing somwhere). maybe push the l.u. up again, and fully remove the connector. guessing....

 

[ctswf]

ok thanks, we will try to rotate it all the way and see if we can get it free.

It does not have any connector on it, it should be free.

He actually took it off the otherday, and put it back on no problem.

Now he needs to get it off again and its hitting there, odd.

 

[sutor623]

Well if he took it off and still couldnt get the LU off then thats probably not where the hangup is.................

 

[ctswf]

no what I mean is he took the lower unit right off no problem, no hangup.

did waterpump change, resembled, done.

Now he needs to get lower unit off again a few days later and theres a mystery hangup. I only stopped by for a few minutes but couldn't get it past the hang up either.

Reason lower unit is coming back off again? new water pump is spitting intermittent water, old one was fine..but I only try to ask for advise on one problem at a time haha

 

[ctswf]

it will not come out no way no how.
it definitely appears to be caused by a bent shift rod.


Sutor, you say the shiftrod can be unscrewed all the way out? I didnt want to do it because its not my motor but if your sure its ok It seems like the only other possible fix right now.

 

[sutor623]

Yea man unscrew it. If that don't work out a bolt
Cutter to it an get you a new one. (If it's bent all to hell anyways). These things screw right out and right back in. Just feels tight because of the shift Rod oil seal down in the gearcase.

 

[ctswf]

i have relayed the information to the friend with the motor. He extends his thanks.

got a call last night he unscrewed the shift rod and was able to remove the lower unit that way.

Apparently the rod is so bent its still stuck in there though, presumably at the S curve / offset at the top of the bar.

We are both kind of baffled how its even possible to do such a thing. I'm going to swing by and try to see whats up but it's sounding rather tricky

 

[sutor623]

Wow sounds like he pulled that gearcase out at an extreme angle.

 

[ctswf]

the mystery has been solved. Apparently there was a huge amount of rust in the tube that the shift rod goes in.

after unscrewing the rod from the lower unit, he threaded a nut on and tried banging it out, still no luck.

In the end he pushed the rod up and cut the top off w a sawzaw. he was then able to remove it fully.

thanks for the tips !

im surprised I couldn't find any stories of this issue online before.

 

[sutor623]

Yea I sure haven't heard of this before. Glad he got it solved.

 

[boobie]

Has anybody checked the lower motor mounts to see if they were swelled up ??

 

[ctswf]

no, can you please elaborate?

 

[boobie]

I've had motors where the lower motor mounts got corrosion behind them and pushed the motor out of alignment so when you when you went to pull the lower unit or install it you had problems.

 

[ctswf]

thanks ill let him know to look at that