1996 mariner 125hp

[sandcrab277]

we've followed the repair manual to remove the lower unit and determine why the unit is making noise when shifting from neutral to reverse...total of 5 nuts removed...according to the book, it should come right off....it appears to be frozen and gentle tapping with a block and hammer on the inner part of the fins near the studs doesn't help to loosen it...the port side seems to open a small gap but no success on the starboard except forward of the front stud...any suggestions would be appreciated...this unit has never been apart before so there may well be corrosion internally...we've sprayed with pr buster...

 

[quantumleap]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

Try to use wood shims where it is separated and don't be shy with the hammer! If you have too, wrap the biggest rubber mallet you can find with a rag and strike the back-top of the lower unit to get the other side to loosen. Tighten and loosen the port side to help wiggle the other side loose. It is the driveshaft splines that get seized, and you have to be aggressive to free it up. Good luck. BTW a clunk or slight noise from N to R is not that unusual.

 

[sandcrab277]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

quantumleap...thanks for the input...i doubt any rubber mallet would work better than a 5 lb sledge and a 2x6 chamfered to get as close to the inside edge of the fins...its really on there solid... we've even had a thin steel wedge in the port side to no avail...wood shims are useless...i guess the next step is taking off the midsection to get the drive shaft splines to loosen...

 

[JB]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

Moving to Merc/Mariner Troubles.

 

[quantumleap]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

^^bump^^ Any luck yet sc277??

 

[Outrage 19]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

Are you sure there are only 5 huts not 6. On my Merc I have 2 on each side one in the back and one under the trim tab.

 

[sandcrab277]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

there is nothing under the trim tab, in fact we took it off as part of the book procedure, although its not necessary...no luck getting it free yet....we tightened it back up and loosened it many times but it only cracks enough on each side to get a putty knife blade in...we haven't tried the mid-section yet...it would just be more of the same trying to get the splined driveshaft to free up...

 

[sandcrab277]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

well, persistence pays off...i finally got enough gap in the front to put a tie rod end wedge in there and when i tapped on the stern the lower unit broke free...thanks for your help and suggestions....btw, it wasn't the shaft that was seized at all...it was the rearward starboard stainless stud totally corroded up inside the aluminum housing...goes to show you that even with sacrificial anodes, aluminum still corrodes badly in the florida salt water environment

 

[quantumleap]

Re: 1996 mariner 125hp

Congrats! Lube it up well when you re-assemble.