Lower Unit and Water Pump

[jwerner247]

Ok,first poster here, 1986 85hp Force 856X6L. So I thought I needed to change my impeller. Motor would alarm while idling. So I pulled the lower unit and this fell out:

So I assume it fell off of the end of the driveshaft just below the splines. But I just cant tell which way it goes on, does it go on this way????

Or this way???

Or is it from somewhere else? I looked at the schematics from 2 manuals and I can't tell how it goes on or if it goes on there at all?

Any tips on reinstalling the lower unit? I could not get it back on, after an hour ,3 times I got it with a half inch and then it wouldn't budge. Very frustrating! Maybe it's the way that^^^ thing was on or something, i dont know.


Anyway I opened the waterpump and the impeller in there was slighty messed up so I replaced it. But there was some corrosion in the pump. So then I see the water tube seal that connects the water tube and the water pump. Here is what it looks like:

Its rubber! So I think this thing has been apart and jimmy rigged. It doesnt seat or anything, all the waterpump rebuilds Ive seen use nylon type seals. What do you think? Does this look right?


And please any tips on reinstalling that lower unit would be very appreciated...
Thanks!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Lower Unit and Water Pump

The ring goes on the drive shaft with the groove up. The rubber bellows fits above the ring with the tapered end up to seal the crankshaft. The other end fits into the groove on the ring. Coat the splines with a light layer of anti-seize or light grease before re-installing the lower unit.

If you are trying to fit the rubber bellows on the water pump, that may be your problem. Lower unit is heavy and it helps to have another set of hands. Line up the drive shaft first and with the lower unit in gear, turn the prop until the splines line up with the crank splines ane it slides in. Then, as you raise it, line up the shift rod with its hole and the water pump outlet with its brass water tube. There should be a white nylon cone shaped (internal) piece on the outlet of the pump to adapt to the water tube. Have one bolt at the ready to hold the unit and put it in as far as you can by hand. Then insert the other five bolts and the hidden one inside the exhaust snout. Insert all bolts before tightening any of them

If you miss on the first try, drop the lower unit to be sure that the rubber bellows and the ring have not fallen off the shaft again.

 

[jwerner247]

Re: Lower Unit and Water Pump

Thank you for clearing up that stuff for me. Like I said, the stuff kinda fell out, so i wasn't sure what went where and neither my clymer or seloc manual gave a good picture of the end of the shaft, that I could find anyway. I'm hoping that it was that rubber seal that was preventing me from getting the unit in all the way.

Maybe another person is the key, but lining up the shaft seems very difficult. especially when there is a chance of the spacer and seal falling off.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Lower Unit and Water Pump

It could also be the shift rod. You are trying to line up a 1/4 inch shaft with a 1/4 inch hole. If you miss, the shaft will push up inside the midleg and you will not be able to get the lower unit all the way up. Also, if you niss the water tube, sometimes it will jam into the edge of the white adapter and again, you will not be able to get the lower unit all the way up. once you get the splines into the crankshaft, you need to "wiggle" a little to get the other two pieces lined up. Then it should go all the way up with just hand pressure.