Re: Removing Stern Drive
983159 is the stern drive for a 1983-1985 3.8L V6.
The other post you made says 1977 electric shift 4 cylinder, so something not right.
I suspect the upper gearbox where you got the number 983159 has been swapped onto your boat from a V6 drive, in which case it will have the wrong gear ratio in it - or you just have some wrong info there.
Anyways - Here is the instructions for a 983159 V6 800 series mechanical shift drive 1983-1985 model:
1. Take the battery or batteries out of the boat!
2. Take the cable and lever arm off the shift lever atop the shift coverter rear of the engine where cables meet
3. take 4 screws off the panel and lift the cover off - take out the black plastic guide in there
4. remove the little cable retainer clips
5. reach with your left hand around behind the "panel" and grab the 2 spring loaded pawls and pull them back toward the transom, and push the cable housing into the panel box (shift converter it's called)with your right hand
6. Unwind the bare cables off the guides and slide the cable out of the converter
7. Eyeball the hole where the cable exits the boat - Spray the cable sheath inside the boat and outside the boat with PB blaster or similar penetrant- let it sit 30 minutes
8. remove the clip that retains the cable on the outside of the intermediate housing deep in there where the cable exits the rear of it (1/2" socket I think)
9. 2 people - 1 push on the cable from inside, 1 pull it from outside....if it don't come - more penetrant and time! It's $400 don't tear it!
10. Mark your ball gears with paint how they are indexed to each other so they will go back with their original mates
11. pull the water directors and steering bumpers off, remove the 4 cap screws (9/16" socket) - drive is off - about 90 pounds
