Broken Shift Lever Handle - 1985 Evinrude 6HP

[fishon71]

I have a 1985 Evinrude 6HP model# E6SLCOB with a broken shift lever. The metal is actually sheared right off do to dropping the engine on its side. It looks to me that the power head needs to be pulled to get at replacing this lever, is that true?

 

[MCM]

Re: Broken Shift Lever Handle - 1985 Evinrude 6HP

I've seen several posts with the same ?? and the answer seems to always be Yep

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Broken Shift Lever Handle - 1985 Evinrude 6HP

As MCM states, the powerhead must be removed.<br /><br />Many boaters have the tendency to lay the engine on the shift handle. Their line of thought is that they don't want to damage the throttle handle.<br /><br />The fact is that the throttle handle will stand a tremendous amount of abuse whereas the shift handle will not. This, they usually discover right after the shift handle breaks off.<br /><br />Bottom line.... always lay the engine down on the throttle handle side.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Broken Shift Lever Handle - 1985 Evinrude 6HP

Hi Fishon,<br /> Ironically, you will also have to remove the lower unit to replace the shift handle! <br /> On that motor, the shift handle is one piece with the horizontal shift shaft. As such, the powerhead and lower belly pan must be removed to access the small trapezoidal cover over the shifter gears that transfer the horizontal shaft to the vertical shaft. There is a bolt in the end of the horizontal shaft that needs to be removed to pull the shaft out.<br /> Okay, now that you've got the shift handle/shaft replaced, you will more than likely have to pull the lower unit in order to properly align the water tube back into the waterpump. It's a good time to replace the waterpump impeller if you haven't done so recently (last two years or so). <br /> FYI - I would replace the shift lever/shaft BEFORE removing the lower unit for powerhead replacement so that you can be assured of having the shift gears properly aligned for shift handle position.<br /><br />- Scott