Lower unit shift shaft how to reinsert?

[gazelle]

Took the lower off to change impeller on Alpha one gen 2


In the process of taking it off the shift hung and came out of the lower unit. I can not get it back in. Wondering what I need to do to reinsert it. Do not think that I am getting it seated down the last inch or so. Is this a reasonable repair or a bite the bullet and take it in to the shop where it will likely site for weeks whith all the beginning of season work they have lined up?



I have been trying to rotate the prop CCW and the shaft CW but nothing is engaging. Do not feel that the splines on the end of the shaft are engaging what they are suppose to be.


Thanks folks.


Gazelle

 

[stonyloam]

Sounds like you pulled the lower ss out of the shift crank. This is what it looks like you need to slip the shaft through the top and engage the splines in the bottom. https://www.google.com/search?q=mer...UICygD&biw=1024&bih=649#imgrc=88Mxc2izWHTzdM: If you are in neutral now you will want the shaft top to be about 40 degrees to the left when you get it to slip in. Once you get it to go, turn the ss all the way clockwise, if it is pointed straight ahead you should be good to go. With the ss all the way clockwise the prop should lock when rotate the prop counterclockwise.

 

[gazelle]

Read on another site that it is possible to get the shift crank out of wack and the entire guts of the lower need to be removed to fix it. Stonyloam, my interp is that your suggestion would work if I had not gotten the shift crank out of alignment, do you agree?

Scroll to the very bottom of this page to see what they say, the site does not allow you to copy and paste text
http://www.mercstuff.com/lowershiftshaft.htm


So guessing I am SOL and need to take it in since I believe there is a special tool but wanted to check with the group first.

 

[stonyloam]

Agree. Try to be careful. If you get it right when you turn the shaft all the way clockwise it will be in forward ( locks ccw) and all the way ccw reverse (locks cw). If you can get it back together and it shifts smoothly F to R you should be OK. It might be easier if you remove the bushing.

 

[gazelle]

hmmm

Will give it another go tomorrow. When I tried earlier the shift shaft would do a full 360 while turning CW and the prow would never lock up while turning CCW.

Hence, why I thought I screwed it up so bad, that I knocked something completely out of wack in the bottom of the lower.

What is the bushing? Are you referring to the gasket that the shaft goes through and also has the speedo connection attached to it?

 

[stonyloam]

Do you have the alpha or Gen II? If the alpha you may be able to remove that brass bushing to get better access. It sounds like that if you got the shaft through the top hole you may just need to line up the bottom hole and splines.

 

[Bt Doctur]

see page 3B-48 .http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/14/14b3.pdf
CAREFULLY remove the 2 mounting bolts,remove the plastic housing, locate and recover the C clip from the housing. Install the shaft in the housing and attach the C clip.Now pretend you putting the pin back in a grenade.
Without jiggling the housing too much insert the shift arm so it feels "locked" hard to describe. with the arm inserted correctly the shift mechanism will lock the prop shaft CCW with the arm in a straight line. .If not, CAREFULLY pull the shaft up a 1/2 inch and reinsert in a straight line

Worst case scenario you pulled the selector off its base and the lower will need a complete disassembly to fix it.

 

[stonyloam]

OK, well I screwed up, I thought the splines were on the bottom, but they see on the top of the crank. If you line it up correctly they should drop in. My mistake.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I should add that the arm will face in a straight line in FWD and lock the prop CCW.Looking down at the shaft with the prop shaft between your legs Neutral turns to the left and reverse is full left and locks the prop CW

 

[gazelle]

Thanks Bt Doctur

Appears there should have been a C clip in place to prevent the shift shank from coming out. Now it makes me wonder, was there ever one there or did it fall off? What if I can not find one in the housing, does that mean it was never there or that I have a hunk of metal floating around waiting to do damage.

 

[gazelle]

Bt Doctur
CAREFULLY remove the 2 mounting bolts


I assume you are referring to the bushing with the speedo attachment on it? Remove it look down the hole, hope I can see the C clip and then find 18' tweezers (or something) to grab the c-clip and bring it out.


If I see no c-clip then I guess I should assume the worse, that it is floating around somewhere in the lower and it needs a full disassembly. Odd the clip came off, I simply pulled the lower off in one smooth motion, was not like I felt resistance and yanked. It came off pretty smoothly in one quick motion, hence why it went so fast that I did not stop in time when I saw the shift shaft coming out.


you also mentioned
Worst case scenario you pulled the selector off its base and the lower will need a complete disassembly to fix it.



If this is the issue, this is likely out of my level of comfort. Seems to me that I could really mess something up and cost myself a lot of money. For a pro, how big of a job is resetting the selector on its base? In car difficulty terms, we talking replacing the water pump or pulling the cam shaft?

 

[Bt Doctur]

about as difficult as replacing the mechanical fuel pump and keeping the rod up and out of the way.The hole thru the case is exactly the dia of the shift rod so I doubt it went in the lower case.A magnetic wand should remove it . If nobody messed with it previously you will fine the clip when you remove the housing.