Can't find way to disconnect shift rod linkage

[erikpn]

'78 Johnson 55. How do I do this? I saw some posts saying to look under the carbs. The shift mechanism is there, but I don't see the shift rod. I took some pics, after I removed the carbs.

How do I do this?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Can't find way to disconnect shift rod linkage

That shinny part of the horizontal shift rod had a shift clevis attached to it. Where is it?

There would have been a shoulder bolt on the port side of the engine screwed into that clevis. That shoulder bolt would have a 3/8" or 7/16" hex head (I forget which) and has a screwdriver slot in it.... it would have gone thru the top hole in the shift rod.

Simply removing that shoulder bolt from the clevis is all you had to do.

 

[James R]

Re: Can't find way to disconnect shift rod linkage

I don't know from the pics exactly what you have done but as you have removed the carbs everything should be visible. Looking from the port side, below the intake manifold you should be able to see a slot head screw in the shift coupling. Remove this screw and the rod is free to be pulled down. Looks like you have removed the coupling from the shaft. Put it back.

 

[erikpn]

Re: Can't find way to disconnect shift rod linkage

Well, there was a bolt on the shiny bit on the right side of the pics. I removed it, but the lower unit still did not come down. It did not have a slot head and I don't see anything with a slot head on it...

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Can't find way to disconnect shift rod linkage

The 3/8" hex head "long" shoulder bolt would have a slot in it..... the 7/16" hex bolt might not.

Has the lower unit dropped down any at all?

 

[erikpn]

Re: Can't find way to disconnect shift rod linkage

Yes, it dropped about 2 inches after I removed the 4 bolts holding it down, and the one bolt by the trim tab. IT was a 3/8" hex head bolt that I removed. It was only about an inch long, and seemed to hold a little white metal bit onto the shiny metal thing. The thing right below the hose on the top pic.

I've removed shift rods from a force and a yamaha no problem. This has me puzzled though.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Can't find way to disconnect shift rod linkage

The part that you removed from the horizontal shift rod is a clevis.

The shoulder type shift bolt would have been screwed into the port side of that clevis and into the shift rod.

I cannot visualize the bolt you're speaking of.