RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

[jrpeterson75]

Hi all -

My first (and vintage boat), I have mistakenly taken the shift plug out of the lower end to drain the lower end fluid and need to get it back in. Hoping I do not have to rebuild the lower end now to fix my stupid mistake....

Thanks for your comments,

 

[JB]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

If you are both good and lucky you can tease the clevis hole back in line to reinsert the screw. Otherwise you must dismantle the foot.

That is your first punishment for not having and using a factory Service Manual. There will be more.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

That screw is the one case where I really wish that OMC would have made the screw an allen head and put a stamping on the casting that says "SHIFT PIN"

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

If the engine were not so heavy, and it was your lucky day, you could put the engine upside down, and have the shift yoke fall back in place. I have got by with this, but on smaller engines.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

You can do it, but it requires some patience. It's best if you can lay the engine on its side, but it can be done with the engine on the transom.

The key is a scratch awl or similar tool with a very sharp point. A good strong flashlight is also important.

What you have to do is fish the shift yoke around until the hole in it is lined up with the hole for the pin. If the engine is on the transom, the hole in the yoke is probably below the hole in the lower unit, so start by fiddling the yoke up with your scratch awl. The awl's sharp point will bite a little into the yoke. But, you'll have very little space to work in. Eventually, you'll be able to get the awl into the hole in the yoke and move it into position. Once you do that, leave the awl in the hole until you're ready to stab it with the threaded pin, so it doesn't slip down again. You'll probably have to do this more than once.

It'll help if you haven't removed the lower plug and drained all the oil out, but...

Use your flashlight to help you get the hole into position. The problem is that it'll try to drift back down. That's why laying the outboard on its side with the hole up makes the job easier. Your RDSL-22 weighs about 160 lb., so two guys can easily remove it from the transom.

Another aid, as recommended in the factory manual, is to grind a very short bevel on the end of the pin. Just a little bevel is all you need. It just helps to get the pin centered in the hole in the yoke.

Did I mention patience? This job took me over an hour the first time I did it, and was more than a little frustrating, but the alternative was to pull the bottom of the gearcase, then having to get it properly sealed up again. It was worth the hour.

Finally...don't remove that pin again.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

CAT: You might be able to do this, but pulling the awl out would be just like pulling the pivot screw out. You could maybe do this, but you have to be fast, Like hitting a light switch, and getting in bed before it gets' dark.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

CAT: You might be able to do this, but pulling the awl out would be just like pulling the pivot screw out. You could maybe do this, but you have to be fast, Like hitting a light switch, and getting in bed before it gets' dark.

Yeah, it's not easy. That's why it's easier with the outboard laying on its side. However, if the lower unit is full of oil, the shift fork doesn't move all that fast unless you jar things. I've done it with the engine on the transom, but it's a heckuva lot easier on the ground or a bench.

One thing's certain, it's one of those mistakes you only make once. By the time you have that pivot screw back in there correctly, you'll never let it happen again.

I've only done it once on an outboard of mine, but I've fixed it on several others. In fact, I sorta look for outboards that have the "lower end" problems, just for that reason. You can save a bunch of money on buying them, fix them, then sell them. You wouldn't believe how often that's the reason a lot of outboards are screwed up.

 

[jrpeterson75]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

Thanks to all for your advice -

I'll get my tough skin on and the patience hat out of the closet for a this weekend - will let you know how successful I happen to be!

Jon

 

[jrpeterson75]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

Cat -

Your advice worked like a charm. I was able to tilt the motor so the head was slightly lower than the lower end and get the yoke to re-align pretty easily. It actually took me longer to remove the motor than to get the shift pin back in. I'm very greatful for your advise and glad I tried this before breaking the seal on the lower unit....

 

[CATransplant]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

Good job! Now you don't have to reseal the lower unit. It usually works out OK.

 

[jrpeterson75]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

Well.....I thought it worked well. Another twist.

The shift pin went back in the hole no issue. I took the boat out to test yesterday, noticed the gear shift control now goes only slightly toward reverse from neutral. When the control the motor is in forward it is actually in neutral and when in neutral actually reverse. I disconnected the control cables, the gear shifter on the actual motor is the same way and will go past neutral to reverse. Wondering if there might actually be 2 holes in the shift yoke and I aligned the pin to the wrong one causing the issue ? Thanks for your help (again)...

 

[ezeke]

Re: RDSL-22 Shift Plug (Oops not drain plug)

If you had the coupler disconnected on the two sections of the shift rod, you may have not reconnected it correctly. The screw has to be completely removed to grab the beveled part of the rod when reconnected.