Help removing lower unit

[marty53]

Hey guys I just picked up a second motor, a 2004 johnson 50hp J50plsrs. Its not peeing on muffs so I'm gonna do the water pump kit. I just ordered a service manual, but I can't find any info on how to disconnect the shift linkage for this motor. There's a lot more stuff crammed into the lower cover than on my '83 50hp, it looks darn near impossible to get to where the shift rod connects. Wondering if there is an easy trick to this without removing carbs on here.

I was thinking about removing the lower engine cover, or maybe there is just a pin I pull

Appreciated, marty

 

[clemsonfor]

Is that the one wherwhere you pull the pin out sideways or is that the one where you take the bolt out under the carbs? The latter is the way my 91 johnson was and I pulled lower carb. But if this one has the bell crank connection and the pun you just pull to the side it's easy. Just pull that connector toward you where the shift linkage is connected to the cable

 

[marty53]

No Title

My old '83 50hp has the bolt that you need to remove, this looks different from what I can see, but not as simple as some of those i've seen from the mid 90's. Attached is a parts diagram of the shift linkage

 

[racerone]

Removing the starter can make it easier.----But in this case removing the side cover is the easiest way to remove that wee pin / screw.

 

[marty53]

Man, they make it difficult to do the waterpump on these johnsons. My 1991 75hp merc it took me about 5 mins to drop the lower unit

 

[marty53]

Just to follow up, I ended up removing the skirt, which was just 4 bolts, the two on the stern being the most difficult to remove because of their locations inside the cowling. Then just detach the leads to the on-motor trim switch and the skirt comes right off. Then I just used a 12" socket extension to remove the bolt/pin holding on the shift linkage. The only other way this would be remotely possible would be by removing the airbox and carbs, and it is still tricky because of all the VRO stuff that is right there. I took the skirt removal path because I wanted to clean the bottom of the motor off anyway. I hope this helps someone else.