I removed the lower end from my 1983 DT-50 Suzuki.
I picked this motor up in 2009 , it was a very "clean motor" and it had been in storage for some time. I retrieved a shop manual from E-bay and started by cleaning out the carbs, replaced the water pump & gaskets. I took it out and it ran strong, the tell tale was looking as healthy as a teenager.
During the times when I was tuning it up on muffs I'm hearing a slight gear noise, not a lot but enough to catch my attention. I R&R the gearbox oil, found quite a bit of water in it. I continue to use the boat untell trout season was over.
Getting ready for the upcoming trout season so I decided to slow up life long enough to replace all the seals in the lower end. Following Suzuki's shop manual I pull the prop shaft, the reverse gear looks good with not much wear & tear. Now I am looking at the pinion with a flashlight and I noticed some of the gear tips are broken/ missing. I am thinking this can't be good. I separate the lower from the upper end and begin the process of separating the pinion from the drive shaft and the forward gear comes out in my hand. The manual says first the pinion, then reverse gear. OK I think no big deal, things like this can happen out of sequence. So I clean it up using shop rags & degreaser I check the teeth and they are tore up more then reverse, OK it stands to reason they get more use, but they too appear to be wearing high on the tooth, OK no problem I'll double check the shims & gear lash during reassembly.
As I am laying out parts in the SAME ORDER that I removed them what I see astounds me. I double and then triple check the shop manual, then I double and triple check the Browns Point DT-50 parts book. I AM fit to be tied.
The forward and the reverse gear were in reversed positions. According to the drawings the reverse gear has a bearing pressed on to the back side and the forward rests up against a shim. From what I can tell so far this gear set is shot, the drive shaft bearing is shot. That's it I am now looking for a replacement lower end.
Don't ask me how it ran/lasted because I have no clue. I only had it out 5-6 times at the most. But as I said the gear noise was not normal and now I know why ##<<>>>###@^%%&*^^* = $$$$. Expensive Lesson
Maybe one of you Suzuki sage's have some idea as to what went on, I am guessing someone decided to wrench on this gearbox and thought he was good enough not to need the correct manual, or any manual for that matter?.
I picked this motor up in 2009 , it was a very "clean motor" and it had been in storage for some time. I retrieved a shop manual from E-bay and started by cleaning out the carbs, replaced the water pump & gaskets. I took it out and it ran strong, the tell tale was looking as healthy as a teenager.
During the times when I was tuning it up on muffs I'm hearing a slight gear noise, not a lot but enough to catch my attention. I R&R the gearbox oil, found quite a bit of water in it. I continue to use the boat untell trout season was over.
Getting ready for the upcoming trout season so I decided to slow up life long enough to replace all the seals in the lower end. Following Suzuki's shop manual I pull the prop shaft, the reverse gear looks good with not much wear & tear. Now I am looking at the pinion with a flashlight and I noticed some of the gear tips are broken/ missing. I am thinking this can't be good. I separate the lower from the upper end and begin the process of separating the pinion from the drive shaft and the forward gear comes out in my hand. The manual says first the pinion, then reverse gear. OK I think no big deal, things like this can happen out of sequence. So I clean it up using shop rags & degreaser I check the teeth and they are tore up more then reverse, OK it stands to reason they get more use, but they too appear to be wearing high on the tooth, OK no problem I'll double check the shims & gear lash during reassembly.
As I am laying out parts in the SAME ORDER that I removed them what I see astounds me. I double and then triple check the shop manual, then I double and triple check the Browns Point DT-50 parts book. I AM fit to be tied.
The forward and the reverse gear were in reversed positions. According to the drawings the reverse gear has a bearing pressed on to the back side and the forward rests up against a shim. From what I can tell so far this gear set is shot, the drive shaft bearing is shot. That's it I am now looking for a replacement lower end.
Don't ask me how it ran/lasted because I have no clue. I only had it out 5-6 times at the most. But as I said the gear noise was not normal and now I know why ##<<>>>###@^%%&*^^* = $$$$. Expensive Lesson
Maybe one of you Suzuki sage's have some idea as to what went on, I am guessing someone decided to wrench on this gearbox and thought he was good enough not to need the correct manual, or any manual for that matter?.