Out drive will not go together

[stronga]

I have a 1986 140 I/O Mercruiser. I took the lower end/gear case of the out drive off to replace the impeller. I didn't put the shifter in forward when I put it together. When I tested it the prop would not turn. I took it apart and now it will not go back together. When I slide the lower end/gear case on it seems like the drive shaft is hitting something keeping the gear case an half an inch from mating to the drive shaft housing. What do you think I did to screw things up? The splines on the shaft and the drive gear look ok. Suggestions?

I happy to find this form.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Out drive will not go together

Welcome to iboats.....
Read this:http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=203189​

 

[stronga]

Re: Out drive will not go together

I'll give that a try. I wish the guy wrote back to tell if that worked.

Thanks!

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Out drive will not go together

It will work....​

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: Out drive will not go together

Placing it in forward is specifically for removing the who outdrive leg.. but may be beneficial so the clutches are preengaged.

When you split it to repair an impellor, and then put it back together you need to turn the propellor to rotate the splines in the lower drive shaft... this will allow then to mate withthe upper shaft splines... The prop may be hard to turn due to the new impellor, but it will ...

 

[ksherb]

Re: Out drive will not go together

just finished putting mine back on. Took 3 days, 2-3 hours per day. I used all of the suggestions in this post -- working shift back towards neutral, turning prop, whole 9 yards. Ended up setting it in with a winch strap and a very gentle floor jack. All I can say is that impeller better last. And the more beer you buy up front, the better, because I burned through more than just one helper.

 

[sabastianunf]

Re: Out drive will not go together

When I pulled mine - there was a seal around the top of the water tube that did not come out. Upon trying to put it back together I could not get it to go that last inch or so. Finally a mechanic gave me a seal puller and told me what to do. After pulling the seal and sliding it over the water tube first everything went back together nicely. Just my 2 cents.

 

[stronga]

Re: Out drive will not go together

I got the gearbox attached, Yea!

Now the shifter rod will not move/rotate. When I move the shifter in the boat, nothing happens. I tried to move the rod manually with no success.

Is that normal?

I can turn the prop shaft clock wise and it clicks. The prop shaft will not turn counter clockwise.

I'm thinking of taking the gearbox of to see if the shifter rod in the case will will rotate.

Do you think I have messed up the cable? If I did, do you think I could buy one for a 20-year-old boat. Or, have I done some thing to the gearbox. On the other hand, do I still not have it together correctly?

Opinions?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Out drive will not go together

No, it sounds wrong......
The upper half of the drive was never taken off the boat, correct?....
If this is true, lower the bottom half again.....
Put the helm in FWD....
Turn the prop ccw while simultaneously turning the shift shaft cw to lock it in fwd......
You must maintain light pressure on the prop to insure it stays locked into gear......
You may need to turn the prop slightly to get thedrive shaft to engage....
If you get to the last 1/2" & meet resistance you need to wiggle the intermediate shift shaft to get it to engage.......
Under no circumstances should you need to force them together....
If the splines are indexed correctly, it will go right together easily....
Under no cicumstances do what KHerb did, you will cause damage & will most likely have a hard time getting it apart next time.....​

 

[stronga]

Re: Out drive will not go together

I thought so. I'll do it again.

It may be a lost cause.

When I first put the gearbox on I thought I had it right and started the engine. Then I found out it would not go into gear so turned the engine off and took off the gearbox again. Then it would not go back together which is when I found the form and got suggestions on how to make it go together.

Do you think that by not having it in forward gear and pressure on the prop shaft done correctly I have tore up something in the gearbox?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Out drive will not go together

If it went together without forcing, then you did not hurt anything,I think that you let it slip out of gear before you put the two halves together....
Don't waste your time & money on an old cable if it is bad, buy a new one.......​

 

[stronga]

Re: Out drive will not go together

I took off the gear case again and found the shift pin was frozen.

Under further examination I found the shifter cable was broken off where it goes in to the bell housing. If you can see it:

If I understand it, you have to take the whole drive shaft housing out to get to it.

In doing so, what pitfalls should I watch out for? In other words, what can I screw up? I'm going to read the instructions but they seem to leave that part out.

Thanks for your help.

 

[stronga]

Re: Out drive will not go together

One more thing. Would you please give me some links to previous threads on this subject.

Thanks

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Out drive will not go together

Here's a good site for you - click on the link showing how to replace the shift cable:
How Do I...

 

[stronga]

Re: Out drive will not go together

One more question: How far should the shift pin be to the left in my photo o be in first gear?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Out drive will not go together

By the look of that picture, you left the washer out that sits over the shift shaft & props up the intermediate shift shaft, (pictured).....
The two items pictured shold index together......
The shaft should point directly foreward to be in foreward, as pictured, but the lower shaft needs to be higher......
You will need to pull the upper & lower apart, & put that washer in....​

 

[stronga]

Re: Out drive will not go together

Im looking at an alpha 1 drive shift shaft cross-section. It looks like the washer is held by a cotter pin? That's what holds it up? I would have never noticed that. Thanks for the info I'll check that out, your wonderful.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Out drive will not go together

Im looking at an alpha 1 drive shift shaft cross-section. It looks like the washer is held by a cotter pin? That's what holds it up? I would have never noticed that. Thanks for the info I'll check that out, your wonderful.

No, that is what holds the intermediate shift shaft in.....
There is another washer that sits over the shift shaft.....
That's the one you are missing.....​