Why sterndrive wont come out?

[Adelino_Borges]

Hi all.
I'm from Portugal and visit your site regularly.
Recently I bought a Glastron SSV179 boat with a Mercruiser V8 260 Hp carburated engine. The Outdrive is also a Mercruiser.

As it has been stopped for some years I started by trying to take out the sterndrive (puted it in forword and toke out the 6 nuts as shown in many places on net) to see how it looks inside.

It has came out about 15mm and now seems to be stuck and just wont come out no matter what. I've already had to force it to come out that far. If i force it with a bar it comes out a bit (about 5 mm) but it's elastic and goes back to the same place.
When a slide my hand to the coupling plate on the engine (inside the boat) I feel the rubber on the plate moving a tiny bit out and going back in as someone forces the drive with a bar. Only the splines dont seem to move out.

Am I doing something wrong?
What may be holding it back?
If the shift wouldn't work would it do this?
Sorry for the bad english and thanks for your help.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Welcome aboard!

Now the bad news...

If you can feel the back of the coupler and feel the rubber moving while someone pulls on the outdrive, then that means the driveshaft is stuck in the coupler.

There are no easy ways to remove it. It is supposed to simply slide out. Apparently it wasn't greased.

I have heard of people having to take a sawzall and cut the drive shaft to remove the outdrive. You would then pull the engine and replace the coupler as well.

Sorry! Maybe someone will come in with a better suggestion.... but I wouldn't suggest holding your breath.

 

[Adelino_Borges]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Hautch... It's that bad?

If it's to cut, cut I will.

The best place to cut would be where? Between the engine and the U joint (inside the boat) or somewere under the outdrive?

Thanks for your help.

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

at the coupler is where i would cut it ,in that area is wher you will have the most room. remove the trim ream and pick up outdrive and drop it a few times sagaist a piece of wood i have never had to do this but i woud ty tha before cutting also some us the trim rams to push it off.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

U do have the shift/throttle lever in fwd dont u ?

 

[cr2k]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

+1 on MAKE SURE IT IS IN FORWARD GEAR BEFORE YOU DAMAGE ANYTHING TRYING TO PULL THE DRIVE.

 

[dingdongs]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

you have removed/released the hydraulic rams haven't you??????????

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

You can make sure it is in forward gear by removing the lower shift end from the shift plate and then pushing the cable end in. Before you do that push the drive back in against the bell housing, then have someone else hold the cable end in, then try to slide the drive off.
If the splined shaft end that goes into the coupler is stuck to the coupler you may need to cut the shaft between the back of the engine and the transom. But that is a last resort. I'd try some oil, vibration and moderate heat such as a blow dryer or low tempreature heat gun to loosen that spline connection. (No flame) Even if you ruin the coupler you save the drive shaft end.

 

[Adelino_Borges]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Yes I have putten it in forword.

Only didn't chek to see if it engaged well.
As it has been stoped some years maybe it doesn't work properly.

But if it was stuck becouse of the shift thing would it come out about 15 mm as it has and would I feel the rubber on the coupler move in and out as someone else forces the drive with a bar?

Thanks to all.

 

[300sflyer]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Try spray some penetrating oil on the shaft and coupler splines, and let it sit for a few days. Then work it back and forth as far as it will go, while spraying more oil. This might free it up enough to remove it.

Good luck!

 

[Adelino_Borges]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Thanks all for your advice but, can someone, wiser than me, please advice if this could be caused by a badly engaged forword shift.

I'm already considering setting the hole thing on fire.

Regards.

 

[300sflyer]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Raise the drive all the way up with the trailer switch, and look at the linkage. The shoe and the shaft should both be straight forward so it can easily slide out. If it is turned at all, this could be the problem. If not, get out the oil.

 

[6meter]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Look underneath between the transom and outdrive at the shifter pawl to see if it is indeed straight and not to the side. Have somebody else move the shift lever foward and reverse while you're looking it, so you can see what is moving and how it's supposed to be straight. I would certianly beat the drive input shaft with a hammer to try to loosen it before cutting it. And have PATIENCE.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Thanks all for your advice but, can someone, wiser than me, please advice if this could be caused by a badly engaged forword shift.


. The coupler issue is unrelated to the shift lever position. But symtoms are about the same [ drive will only come back 1/2 in - 1 in est...] As previous poster stated be sure the lower unit IS actuelly in FWD. Not just the remote [ Throttle/ shift lever by the steering wheel] Look at where the little brass shift shaft comes up out of the lower unit. In the front, under the exhaust bellows. Its much easier to see it you have the drive up [ In trailer position] Be sure it is pointing forward FYI, if seen from above, the lower unit is in fwd if the front of the shift lever is pointing straight ahead, fwd, towards the bow [pointy end] call that 1200 , 1100 is nuetral, 1000 is rev [approx] Just make sure its in fwd so u can isolate the coupler issue and not destroy the shift cable assem inthe process. Also as Ding dongs asked-- You have removed the hydrolic rams from the rear of the outdrive, in addition to removing the 6 nuts that hold the drive on havnt you??? One nut on each side where the rubber bushings and round rod go thru drive???

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Thanks all for your advice but, can someone, wiser than me, please advice if this could be caused by a badly engaged forword shift.

You do need it in forward gear. And it is good to do as mentioned above to check. BUT - based on your first post.....

When a slide my hand to the coupling plate on the engine (inside the boat) I feel the rubber on the plate moving a tiny bit out and going back in as someone forces the drive with a bar. Only the splines dont seem to move out.

The fact that the rubber in the coupler is moving but not the shaft indicates that the shaft is stuck in the coupler. I personally do not believe that any amount of penetrating oil nor heat is going to help. But try the oil and see. Maybe you'll get lucky! (I would forget the heat. A hair dryer or heat gun is not going to give sufficient heat - and a torch is out of the question).

 

[Adelino_Borges]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

OK. Thanks all of you for the kind help.
Yes I?ve taken the hydraulics rams out ? that I would notice.
Now I'd like to share with you what happened yesterday because I'm really impressed - never seen such thing, and I've already done some mechanics (mostly on Land Rover's - Not quite the same I know but still...)

I confirmed, as you explained, that the forward shift was ok, and it was.
So I built myself a tool to force the drive out. (2 pieces of metal that slide in the gap I had and 4 bolts on one of them pushed against the other one to separate the thing)

Started bolting the screws and it went apart a good bit more. As the bolts were only 60mm that?s all it went. Now I already have pushed the thing out about 70mm BUT IT IS STILL STUCK AND DON?T COME OUT.

When I went in the boat to try to understand what happened I?ve putted my hand to feel the engine to transm. Coupler (It?s placed in a way I don?t see it). Instead of being flat as before, the rubber was like a balloon. Completely forced out by the splines on the shaft. ? Question: When it brakes ? Hope it will ? Will it pass on the hole to come out with the outdrive? Then the engine will be loose and I can take it out.

 

[Adirondack]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Sounds like you have some serious pressure on it. With the pressure on I would try a few solid raps on the shaft with the biggest hamer I could get in there. (within reason. The purpose is to save the shaft not mangle or bend it) Past there cutting may be your only option.

 

[300sflyer]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Did you spray any oil on it yet?

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

Question: When it brakes ? Hope it will ? Will it pass on the hole to come out with the outdrive? Then the engine will be loose and I can take it out.

If it breaks loose of the coupler and the couplers stays in one piece, then yes, the outdrive can come off and the engine can then be removed.

If the coupler separates with the rubber insert ripping apart, then, no, the outdrive will still not come off (easily) as the shaft will not come out through the gimbal bearing. You might be able to pull the gimbal bearing out with the outdrive - but that would be the only way.

Either way - once it comes free - one way or another - you can then pull the engine out and replace the coupler.


Oh yeah - one more important thing: When you finally get it out and everything replaced, make sure you grease the shaft when putting it back together.

 

[Adirondack]

Re: Why sterndrive wont come out?

If your talking about breaking the coupler (as in tearing the rubber apart) I doubt that's going to happen without breaking something else first. For obvious reasons those things are pretty tuff. Just stretching it as far as you have takes some serious pressure.