Can't get my lower unit reattached

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TDJ2591
Posts: 358
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:33 pm
Location: Smith Lake, AL

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#31 Post by TDJ2591 » Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:56 am

Just curious. When it's running, do you boat in the Coosa or Logan Martin?

We used to live off 280 in Shelby County. Loved it.
[color=#4000FF]2005 Crest Caribbean 25'
2006 Honda 135hp 4 stroke[/color]

taylorjm
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:58 pm
Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#32 Post by taylorjm » Mon Apr 17, 2017 10:03 am

Well, I'm fighting with the same thing now. I even remembered to put it in forward, BUT, if you accidentally push the prop in the wrong direction, it pops the gearcase back into neutral! So setting it down on the bench and POP, it went into sorta neutral. I've been struggling with getting it back together. I can get it together, but it's off a little bit, because I don't have reverse, so I'm a tooth off or something. Have to wait until tonight to try again when someone can wiggle the shifter while I put it back in place. Just can't be in two places at once.

On a side note, I have a 4 stroke Mercury 90hp, 2007, and oil is slowly dripping from the lower part of the engine where the shaft engages when the lower unit is out. I know there's an oil pump the teeth have to engage, then the crank. It didn't leak oil when the lower unit was back in place. Anyone know if that's common? Is there a seal in there that keeps the oil inside or do I have another issue?

taylorjm
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:58 pm
Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#33 Post by taylorjm » Mon Apr 17, 2017 1:02 pm

Well, I used the ratchet strap idea to put some tension on while wiggling the gearshift in forward and it went on. It went in forward fine, and neutral, but not reverse, but I put it back together and found it was just the gears not meshing right to hit reverse without the engine running. Once it was running it went in all gears fine. Yeah!

Also, my oil leak stopped. I'm guessing there's a bearing inside there that's bathed in oil and a seal and once the driveshaft went back in everything was happy. Of course, it was a useless project. The old impeller looked as good as the new one. But oh well.

albow
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:18 am

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#34 Post by albow » Mon Apr 24, 2017 10:32 pm

[quote="TDJ2591"]Just curious. When it's running, do you boat in the Coosa or Logan Martin?

We used to live off 280 in Shelby County. Loved it.[/quote]Logan Martin probably 75% of the time. We live in Harpersville. I go to Lay once every 2 years probably and try to make it to Smith once a year and Martin once a year. Even though we're on a campground on Logan Martin, I don't get as much enjoyment running the same water every time so I try to throw something different in there a couple or 3 times. Still haven't made it to Guntersville or Weiss yet.
Tahoe 24 Fish n Fun
115 4 stroke Mercury
2003 Ram 3500
Harpersville, AL

albow
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:18 am

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#35 Post by albow » Mon Apr 24, 2017 10:44 pm

Taylorjm, you might have answered the question I'm about to ask. We got it back on the other day, actually putting it on twice, with both times sliding right into place without even turning the crankshaft. I had a different person holding/inserting it and maybe he was the good luck charm. However, the shifter doesn't want to engage reverse, or actually, it WON'T engage reverse unless someone minimally bumps the prop. We have questioned if that's a result of when the motor is running that it "knocks" into gear that little bit or what. As far as I can recall, I've never tried to shift into reverse with the motor off to see if the shifter would move that way properly, so I have no comparison point. I did walk over to my bass boat and it tried it and it had no problem going either way but it also has a handle under the throttle that you squeeze when you want to go from neutral into f or r, so it makes me wonder. We were afraid to crank it, thinking gears and metal might come to a grinding halt, but it sounds like you weren't. Anybody have a clear answer on this?

Oh, also, I saw no dripping oil on mine and my impeller DEFINITELY needed replacing.
Tahoe 24 Fish n Fun
115 4 stroke Mercury
2003 Ram 3500
Harpersville, AL

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jrolin1
Posts: 400
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:42 am
Location: Lexington SC Lake Murray

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#36 Post by jrolin1 » Tue Apr 25, 2017 7:44 am

I cranked mine to check it after I thought I had it.

albow
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:18 am

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#37 Post by albow » Tue Apr 25, 2017 10:00 pm

[quote="jrolin1"]I cranked mine to check it after I thought I had it.[/quote]
That's just it. I'm not sure I've "got it". lol. Did you have this similar won't go into reverse problem? I know you had the problem of getting it into where you thought forward was actually forward and vice versa, but that "slop" or refusal in mine makes me fearful of what might happen when thousands of dollars of metal are truly spinning.
.
Tahoe 24 Fish n Fun
115 4 stroke Mercury
2003 Ram 3500
Harpersville, AL

taylorjm
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:58 pm
Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#38 Post by taylorjm » Wed Apr 26, 2017 4:08 pm

Sorry, just saw this post. I started it up right away and it went into gear just fine. Forward neutral and reverse were all fine. I haven't tried it when the motor isn't running to see if it will go into reverse or not.

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jrolin1
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Location: Lexington SC Lake Murray

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#39 Post by jrolin1 » Thu Apr 27, 2017 5:04 am

I cranked it to test each time. No metal grinding even when I did not have it correct. It just would not go into gear despite what the shifter was in. I did not try it without the engine running.

albow
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:18 am

Re: Can't get my lower unit reattached

#40 Post by albow » Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:59 pm

Sounds like I won't damage it when I test it then. Here's crossing my fingers.
Tahoe 24 Fish n Fun
115 4 stroke Mercury
2003 Ram 3500
Harpersville, AL

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