War with lower unit

[Bosunsmate]

Re: War with lower unit

Yep it did go down here in NZ so i suppose thats half the side of the world covered. Last year it was down for a week or so, supposedly hacked.
It wouldnt go in that distance seen in your photo if the splines werent aligned so that could well be the cause of that.
If you did get it in im not sure what you would do next but if you were reckless you could hang her upright and start her and then drop the lu while shes running/ cranking the starter (plugs out and grounded) with a weight tied on its bottom.
reckless for sure, possibly effective, and great if you could video it

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

LMAO you trying to get me on TV?? (or is it youtube these days?)

I was thinking about trying an air chisel on the shaft itself lightly to see if the vibrations would do anything, but that ite be silly too

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

Lad, it's official!! The wife's even more reckless than you! She suggested I mount the engine onto something solid, hook a chain onto the LU and hook it to the trailer hitch on the 4X4! I'm thinking it might be time to limit her access to the garage!! LOL

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: War with lower unit

Well it could be on ehow if it works too!
I dont think any lubrications going to work on this as its not like its seized on

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: War with lower unit

Shes right, you got a good one there. look forward to the video.
By the way it works on seized on powerheads

 

[mercurymang]

Re: War with lower unit

How bout a come-along

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: War with lower unit



Here's a few photos for reference. I can't see how the driveshaft could be seized on the lower carrier assy. There is about 1/16" clearance all around between the driveshaft and neck of the carrier assy. It would take A LOT of corrosion to seize things up there. On the seal side of the carrier assy there is even more room.

The last photo shows the length of the crankshaft splines, about 1 1/4" at most. From your photos is looks like the splines should be clear of the crankshaft.

Are you sure that the front stud (not yet thru the mounting hole) is "free"? Can you confirm that the shift shaft is disconnected up at the powerhead. If so, the shaft should be well below the linkage at the powerhead.

If you have a small mirror, you might be able to look up into the exhaust housing to try and see what is hanging it up. Position the mirror in the gap between the LU and exhaust housing, and using a strong light shining at just the right angle on the mirror, you should get a clear view of things up inside.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: War with lower unit

How bout a come-along

Great idea, i can bring some bunting

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

@Moody:
thanks for the reference pix! The spline is definitely clear then, but since the driveshaft spins and the crank doesn't, I was fairly sure of that. The stud is a definite non issue, and I have indeed pulled the roll pin in the shift linkage up top and pushed the shift shaft down an good inch if not more, and that happened after this 2" opening btween mid section and LU was created. Good idea on the mirror!!

@Bosunsmate:
Cameras will be forbidden if I'm nutty enough to try her suggested surgery!!! LOL

@mercurymang :
As much as I hate to admit this, I did think of that general sort of thing. Perhaps some sort of threaded block with bolts in as a spreader too.

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

Perhaps I'll borrow a jack hammer from work!

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: War with lower unit

Another idea, take the boat to the water, put out a anchor and tie the end of the LU onto that. Drive the car with motor attached to the trailer and boat. That way you will get a bit of give in the anchor slipping but hopefully a lot more force and the lu will just fall into the sea to be recovered, you could also prepad it.

Its gotta be stuck there (IMO) unless someone did a deliberate set up on you when they reinstalled it, but thatd be pretty saddistic.

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

It'd be a long wait mate!! The sea is a nice sheet of white around these parts, this time of year.

I just bought this second hand so I don't know it's history at all. All I know for sure is that it runs. Guess I'll soon find out one way or another!

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

@Moody Blue:
Judging from the wear line at the 1 3/4 marker in the pic of that shaft, would it be fair to assume that since im down that same distance, the shaft should also be clear of the end cap or awefully close to being? I'm assuming that wear line is in fact from the end cap?

 

[emckelvy]

Re: War with lower unit

The end cap on your motor does not have a "snout". That's for older motors. It's completely open, with the end of the crankshaft exposed, also the lower crankshaft seal is visible. A stainless steel sleeve is pressed into the end of the crankshaft, and an O-ring inside the sleeve seals the driveshaft/crankshaft splines from water.

5410A 1, End Cap Assembly, Lower Mercury 850 4 CYL

Here's a completely wild thought:

If your motor happened to have a replacement lower unit installed from a Short Shaft motor, it would have a 5" "stub" extension installed. If the stub has corroded so badly that it's "welded" to the splines of the driveshaft, the shoulder on the stub will never pass thru the center section. I've had this problem with Bay Marine extension kits, and have had to manipulate the stub up into the exhaust tower and get it installed into the crankshaft splines first, then install the lower unit. Trying to install the L/U with stub attached would bind up in the middle. A real pain.

Otherwise, maybe the driveshaft is so corroded that it's swollen with rust buildup, and is binding in the exhaust tuner or in the midsection.

This is why, although the driveshaft is free from the crankshaft, the more pressure you put on the lower unit the more difficult it becomes to turn the driveshaft. It's binding up in the middle.

Just a Wild-Hare thought, but at this point you're probably gonna have to pull the powerhead to see what's going on.

HTH & G'luck..........ed

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: War with lower unit

Emckelvy
"Just a Wild-Hare thought, but at this point you're probably gonna have to pull the powerhead to see what's going on."
Will this stop him being able to pull it there too? Or do you mean he should remove the LU pinion nut and leave driveshaft attached to head and then remove head?

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

@emckelvy:
Wouldn't that stub be at the top of the drive shaft though? Agreed the binding is because the pressure is forcing what ever is binging together! Think you're right on pulling the PH, just hope its not that big a deal. The old Chryslers were pretty easy.

@Bosuns:
with the power head out of the way I should be able to see what the heck is going on hopefully, and then decide if the pinion has to come out, assuming the shaft is clear of the head completely. Good thing I have another day off! LOL

Here we go again!

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

OK sooooo.. This was a surprise. Having not so much experience with O/Bs, and Merc's in particular, I was NOT expecting there to some sort a rather large plate/cap on the top of the mid section. Now im wondering what sort of apparatus the shaft is stuck in, because it's clearly hung up in this "plate". I'm guessing it's some sort of carrier and may contain a bearing?? The shaft spins inside but not "nicely". OK so I just discovered it is an exhaust extension plate. If there a bearing or bushing in this which the drive shaft passes through?

Pics to follow:

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

 

[Yesterday]

Re: War with lower unit

@Bosunsmate:
Ref: your comments yesterday on my use of the half hitch - While I actually was in Boy Scouts, I seem to remember missing the day they covered the whole knot tying thing. If memory serves me right there was this cute little girl guide.......:love_heart::boink:
LOL!

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: War with lower unit

Thats some good progress you have made, i didnt think youd be able to lift the powerhead as i thought the lower endcap would stick it on by being held by the seized in driveshaft.
Ive a different set up so cant comment on that but does any of the silver metal around the driveshaft rotate when the driveshaft is turned?
It could be 23-27132 - BUSHING with the sleeve emckelvy remarkably brought up
Girl guide with some girl guide cookies would of being much better than the scout knot classes i made it too!