Re: 1982 Evinrude 35hp Shift Rod Screw
Thank you soooo much. I spent most of the day trying to figure this one out. It was the most frustrating thing I've come across on this boat so far.
Started it up today to make sure it was going to start easy and run good for a trip planned for Wednesday. No pee.
I've had the boat for a couple years and never checked the impeller so, I figured it was time anyway. The shift coupler behind the water intake was a challenge... the manual helped with that one.
But once disconnected... I couldn't get the rod past the water pump housing. The nut wouldn't come off the end of the shift rod. I finally unbolted the impeller housing to get the lower unit off (it was hanging on that nut). Once off... I could see all the way to the top of the shift rod and could see the shaft it was on... held in place by a cotter pin.
I caught a thread that mentioned an access plate (I now think that was in refference to the lower nut) but took off the starboard motor mount thinking it was hiding an access hole. No luck... and had to make a special tool to get the darned thing off... Doah!
I also totally disassembled the upper shifting mechanism... looking for a way to get it to 'let go' (no luck and totally unnecessary).
You of course... had the answer. The manual didn't do a good job of describing how to get that nut off, and there was no picture. The exploded diagram was too small to see it either.
In case anyone else gets stuck on this one, I took a small socket and lined it up on the bottom of the 'top' threaded nut... which is on the bottom of the shift rod. I tapped the socket up the rod about 1/2 inch exposing a tapered split washer. Carefully, with a flat screw driver, I pried it out of it's groove. Then pulled and tapped the nut down off the end of the shaft... WOOHOOO!!!
I love this site
Thanks again,
Ben
