Lower Unit Hell

[aberger]

I have a 1978 9.9 Evinrude and I dropped the lower unit to replace the water pump, When i went to drop the lower unit the drive shaft was frozen into the crankshaft so the drive shaft key ripped though the old water pump housing and left me with a frozen drive shaft coming out of the crankshaft. I was able to remove the drive shaft by clamping two blocks of wood onto it and using two bottle jacks and jacking it out. So know i am thinking i am in the clear well not so lucky, upon looking at the drive shaft i realized i had bent it slightly while trying to remove it. So after $80 at the machine shop i have a once straight again drive shaft. So i put everything back together on the lower unit installing the new water pump and such, so know i am ready to raise the lower unit and bolter on. Well I slide her up reconnect the shift rod and start to put the bolts in everything seems to be going ok until i tighten all the bolts down and know when i try and turn the flywheel it is really hard to spin and when i try to shift between gears i run into problems where as if i loosen the bolts all seem to be ok the prop spins freely i can shift into all 3 gears and the prop spins accordinally. I started the engine like this and the engine seemed to be running at a unusually high rpm and know water was comming out of the pee hole. I need any advice as to what i am doing wrong. Thanks

 

[ezeke]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

The shift rod problem may just be the connector. You have to take the screw all the way out to reset the section so that the screw catches the notched portion of the shift rod.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

know water was comming out of the pee hole.

mis-aligned watertube, maybe? Check watertube grommet (#37) and put some oil on it. When attaching the lower unit, make sure watertube inserts properly and not pinch the grommet.

 

[Rick.]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

These motors can test your patience for sure. I hate to say it but it's time to pull the leg again. (assuming) you've checked Ezeke's solution. Once separated try spinning the motor and the drive shaft to determine which is causing the drag, the motor or the leg. Once you determine that, let us know what you find.

After the problem you had removing the drive shaft I assume you greased it real good for re-installation. That could be your problem now. Too much grease. Grease on top of the drive shaft will have no place to go and can cause the drive shaft to hold a cushion of air between the drive shaft and the metal it is fitting into. No amount of pressure will overcome the air cushion and so the drive shaft is ( if you following me) now longer than it should be. ( drive shaft + air = new length). That would cause a real problem and could, and I hate to say it, wreck your brand new water pump. Only the splines are to be greased, not the top of the shaft. Don't despair, help is always available on the forum. Rick.

 

[aberger]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

I am going to have to check that i did put a fair amount of grease on the top of the shaft hoping that it would prevent the drive shaft from becoming stuck again. Unfortanatly that wasnt the case when i tried to remove the lower unit again the drive shaft was once again stuck and the key ripped through my brand new waterpump housing and i am back to where i began. Hopefully this time i can get the driveshaft out without bending it again. Both the prop and flywheel spin freely when they are seperated the only time they become locked or very hard to turn is when they are bolted together

 

[Rick.]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

I'm sorry to hear that. You may have to pull your power head to clean that connection or you will forever be wrecking water pumps. Are the splines of the drive shaft in good shape? There is a small O ring that is supposed to go on at the top of the drive shaft just low of the splines to prevent water from rusting that joint. I have found it missing on some and half way down the shaft on others. Fortunately I haven't had the experience of one locked up like yours. Let us know if we can be of assistance. Rick.

 

[aberger]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

when the driveshaft came free from the pinion gear in the lower unit would that have messed anything up with those gears? When i put the drive shaft back in the lower unit and turned it clockwise it spun the prop so i was assuming everything was in place down there. But When i started the engine the way it sounded it apeared to be running at high rpms like with no load

 

[Rick.]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

I've pulled them from the gear box without any problems before. Were you able to shift gears from forward to neutral and to reverse? Rick.

 

[Mas]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

Rick is right. Putting grease on top of the shaft just increased the shaft length which is probably why everything is binding up...plus as you already know...impossible to remove. I do not think there is much "air" in there anymore, however. Only the splines of the shaft should get some molylube.

MAS

 

[aberger]

Re: Lower Unit Hell

I've pulled them from the gear box without any problems before. Were you able to shift gears from forward to neutral and to reverse? Rick.

Yeah I was able to shift gears and when I spun the flywheel clockwise the prop turned in the apropriate direction for each gear. Its crazy that just a little bit of grease could cause all this pain and money for that matter.

I apreciate all your guys advice. I am going to pull the driveshaft out again either tonite or tomarrow i am waiting until i get two identical bottle jacks so that when i jack it out this time i do not bend it again. I will keep you posted with my progress as i am sure i will be asking more questions


Thanks

Aaron