Water Pump Replacement (Disconnect shift shaft)

[stewtn]

Guys,

I've got a 2001 90 HP Johnson (J90PLSIG). I "thought" changing the water pump would be straight forward but I haven't even gotten started. Most (but not all) videos on how to do this state to put the boat in reverse and unscrew the shift shaft screw before taking the lower unit off, one video talked about a cotter pin. However all the videos breeze through this part, some take the entire lower motor cover off but still don't clearly show where this is.
So that's my question where is the screw I'm suppose to unscrew on the shift shaft and how do I get access to it?

The photo below is what I "think" is the shift shaft and screw/pin to remove. This is a picture of the Right side of the motor (if you where looking at it from behind the boat.

 

[racerone]

On yours there is a hitch pin that needs to be removed !----Keep the tool box closed until you find your coach on U-tube with a video of your motor !

 

[Auxlarry]

That isn't the shift shaft screw. The shift shaft screw is located under the bottom carb and is a clevis device that the shaft slides into and the screw goes through it.. It can be a bugger to get but I use a 3/8 socket with some sticky on it, universal and long extension. You remove the screw and then the bolts from the lower unit and the entire lower unit with drive shaft and shift shaft slides out.

 

[racerone]

There is a hitch pin to be removed.---No 3/8" socket required !

 

[Auxlarry]

Thanks racerone...your right, I was thinking the older years. My apologizes!!

 

[stewtn]

Ok, I took off the air intake cover on the front and now see a hitch pin. Just pull it out while the engine is in reverse?
As Racerone indicated, I'm a newbie here and need some help.

 

[jakedaawg]

Uh, the hitch pin is on the linkage on the starboard side. Air silencer need not be removed. Not the pins that hold the cables on, the pin that allows you to slide linkage inward. There has to be a video somewhere...

 

[stewtn]

this is the pin I'm talking about...(hard to tell the context but this is starboard side (ish) looking from where the air intake cover is (would be)

 

[stewtn]

And you guys are sure this isn't the hitch pin your talking about? this is the mechanism that moves when the boat is put in forward/reverse. (this is different picture of the original picture I posted

 

[racerone]

Nope----The hitch pin is removed from the shaft that is horizontal under the carburetors.----That shaft is then pushed to the port side to release the shift rod.

 

[stewtn]

Ok guys I got the right hitch pin (found some videos on line) and pushed the bar port side but the lower unit still did not come out. I tried in reverse, neutral and forward. Any help? Some sites talk about it being pretty touchy to do.

 

[stewtn]

This is the pin I pulled and the arm I pushed...

 

[jakedaawg]

How many bolts did you remove? Has lower dropped even a little?

 

[stewtn]

6-7 bolts (can't remember at the moment) But yes the lower unit dropped down with the bolt off 1/2 an inch to an inch (depending on what gear I had it in)

 

[jakedaawg]

Well, keep fiddling while you are pushing in on the shaft and it will release...

 

[bob johnson]

you need to be IN FORWARD....NOT reverse.......

when you shift into forward BEFORE you start this process... you RAISE the shift rod, which gives the pin and shaft that goes into the shift rod ROOM TO GO!.....i just did this process yesterday, cause im changing my waterpump on my 1997 Fast strike

 

[bob johnson]

note...DO NOT let the shift ropd rotate at all , once you have the LU off the motor!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VERY important...especially if it was shifting ok already....

 

[stewtn]

With the help of a buddy I got it disconnected (and reconnected) more of a pain in the a@@ than you would think.
Thanks for all the advise.