Replacing water pump impeller for first time

[stevh1155]

I'm putting the lower unit back on and for some reason it doesn't want to go on the final 1/4". The shift shaft slid in place nicely and I double checked shifting gears with the shifter with the appropriate prop action. I'm assuming I have the drive shaft splines lined up or I don't think I would have gotten this far in, and moving the flywheel causes the prop to spin. Is there some sort of pre-load pin at the top where the top of the driveshaft mates? I'm very wary of breaking something and thinking maybe I need to drop the LU and try again?

 

[Chris1956]

If you have a preload pin it would have been visible on the top end of the driveshaft. Remember to put grease on the splines on the shiftshaft and driveshaft, but not on the ends of each.

Wiggle the shifter to make sure it mates. You did put the plastic shiftshaft guide in the midsection?

You have the plastic tube on top of the waterpump? Make sure the water tube is inserted into it. You have just one seal in the waterpump output? Hopefully the watertube is fully inserted into the exhaust extension. They can come out and be hard to put 'em back in.

Those gearcases can fit pretty tight. Put a couple of nuts on the gearcase and tighten them with fingers. Now wiggle and push the gearcase into position, tightening the nuts with fingers only.

If that doesn't get it, you will need to start over.

 

[stevh1155]

There was no plastic shift shaft guide in this motor when I pulled the lower unit off, that's something I looked for and was surprised I didn't see it. I was hoping it was just a guide and didn't do anything else, but I had very little trouble sliding the shift shaft together once I found the little opening on the leading edge on the gearcase. I moved the shift lever in all the gears and everything seems to be working the way it should. I pulled the lower unit off again and put a little grease on the rubber seal installed in the upper water pump housing and some on the metal water tube end, but it seemed to go together pretty well. I'm sure the shift shaft in lined up and inserted into the upper shaft, the drive shaft is obviously inserted into the crank end by the motor. I did notice that the LU seemed to slide as far as the small dowel pin that was sticking up in the front would allow, so that could be where the hangup is.