4 spline motor

teddiego

Cadet
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
10
I have a 1983 evinrude 70hp outboard, I sent it in to have the gears repaired and a new clutch dog. Now I find out that the mechanic used 5 spline parts on my 4 spline motor instead of having forward I have reverse, it was the other way around when it went to the shop. Can anyone tell me is it ok to interchange spline parts like that?
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: 4 spline motor

I guess I'm awful dumb but your post doesn't make any sense to me at all.
 

Daviet

Fleet Admiral
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Sep 24, 2008
Messages
8,958
Re: 4 spline motor

Me too, did he replace the lower unit or replace parts inside. I don't under stand the 4-5 spline stuff.
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: 4 spline motor

What gets me is the fwd/rev being bassackwards ?? I wonder if who ever repaired it just didn't give him a different L/U back??
 

teddiego

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Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
10
Re: 4 spline motor

I don't know much about the four, five spline thing either, but heres what happened. I had lost my reverse gear and sent the motor to the shop , the mechanic said he was going to switch out the lower unit. When I got the boat back in the water I could go in reverse but forward was jumping in and out of gear. So the mechanic came out to my slip and changed the cable, no change then he told me that the lower end he was switching out didn't fit so he took the gear and clutch dog and put it in my motor and that they were for a 5 spline and I had a four spline. and I paid him almost 600.00 for fixing reverse and screwing up forward. Then he tells me I can have either forward or reverse need a new bottom end...What do you guys think should he have to fix this?
 

Daviet

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Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
8,958
Re: 4 spline motor

First thing I would do is demand my money back, all of it. Look on line and find a rebuilder and send your lower unit to them and have it overhauled, if you don't feel you can do it. Then never ever darken the door of that repair shop again and let them know it. Get your money first.
 

Chinewalker

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Aug 19, 2001
Messages
8,902
Re: 4 spline motor

No such thing as a "5-spline". They were all 4-spline to about 1988, then they became a fine spline shaft.

What has happened here is the lower unit was swapped out. You originally had a mechanical shift unit. The reverse shift pattern is due to your "mechanic" swapping in a hydro-mechanical shift unit from the mid 1970s. The only way to make that work is to use the upper shift linkage from the same year 1970s motor, but it CAN be made to work.
 
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