Got to look at a 1996 Mercury 40 hp, 4 cylinder, oil injected, label looks like model C40ELPT, serial 0G393082. It will not shift into gear.
What I found is that the shift shaft within the exhaust leg is bent. It is not parallel or concentric with the mating shaft in the lower unit. Instead of rotating the lower unit shift shaft, this bent upper is trying to swing the lower through some arc which cannot be realized because of hardware constraints. How this happened, I can only speculate. It appears the lower unit was put on, misaligned and tightened anyway so the upper shaft bent.
So, some degree of teardown is expected. My question is, how does this shaft come out? Through the top? Do I have to pull the power head to remove it?
J
What I found is that the shift shaft within the exhaust leg is bent. It is not parallel or concentric with the mating shaft in the lower unit. Instead of rotating the lower unit shift shaft, this bent upper is trying to swing the lower through some arc which cannot be realized because of hardware constraints. How this happened, I can only speculate. It appears the lower unit was put on, misaligned and tightened anyway so the upper shaft bent.
So, some degree of teardown is expected. My question is, how does this shaft come out? Through the top? Do I have to pull the power head to remove it?
J