Water pump removal

[jimp37]

Hello, I have a 1994 Evinrude 9.9 HP, model E10ELERB { long shaft } engine and plan on installing a new water pump. After I loosen the bolts for the lower unit, I understand that I have to loosen the 2 bolts that hold the shift shaft in place. First question is, do the end of these bolts simply snug up against the shift shaft, or are there some sort of threads on the shift shaft that I have to catch when reassembling? Problem is I cannot see how it's set up inside. Second question, before I loosen anything up, is it best to have the engine in forward, reverse, or nuetral??

 

[F_R]

Completely remove one of the bolts, leaving the other one tight. They pass through a notch in the shift rod. When you put it back together, use a flashlight to peer in there and make sure the notch is exactly aligned with the bolt hole. If the bolt drags on the edge of the notch, it will wipe the threads off the bolt and then it will fall out at some inconvenient time, such as 5 miles from the dock.

Shifter position really doesn't matter, except to provide working room. I believe you should shift to forward to pull the rod upward from the gearcase, then allow the shifter to move toward reverse as you lower the gearcase down. I think that's right. If not, you will figure it out.

 

[jimp37]

So it sounds like it's not a fully enclosed notch that the shift rod goes through?

 

[jimp37]

Just curious though, if one bolt is left tight, how does the rod slide through when pulling the lower unit off?

 

[jimp37]

...Just found a picture of it, I see the part that the 2 bolts go into.