Bravo 2 input shaft won't barely turn but propeller turns fine?

CLi87

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Sep 21, 2018
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I'm working on my 1993 Sea Ray Sundancer 290 with a bravo 2 outdrive. My engine dropped a valve 3 years ago so it's been sitting for awhile, the drive was working perfectly fine when I parked it, I just recently got around to putting in a new engine and to my surprise when I tried to install the outdrive, I found the input shaft doesn't turn at all by hand. If I use a breaker bar I can turn the input shaft a tiny bit in both directions so I know the gears aren't locked up. The outdrive shifts fine into FWD, neutral and REV and the propeller spins fine. I took the top and front covers off the upper and can see the shaft spinning, no rust and I drained the fluid and there was no water intrusion and no metal particles on the plugs. This problem has got me really confused, the assembly is pretty straightforward so I have no idea why it's stuck.
 

alldodge

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took the top and front covers off the upper and can see the shaft spinning,
So you can see the upper shaft turn by rotating the prop, or spinning what?

The drive shaft is seized, it should turn easy by hand
Maybe the drive shaft roller bearings
 

CLi87

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Sep 21, 2018
Messages
215
So you can see the upper shaft turn by rotating the prop, or spinning what?

The drive shaft is seized, it should turn easy by hand
Maybe the drive shaft roller bearings

Yes, I can see the upper shaft turn by rotating the props, just the input shaft won't barely budge but the tiniest bit in either direction and that's with using a prybar, I can't turn it at all by hand. I had thought the bearings in the input shaft might be seized but if that were the case shouldn't it not move at all? I know none of the gears are seized because they do all move just slightly and I don't see any rust.
 

Fun Times

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Is the drive shifted in neutral gear and not engaged forward or reverse... If it's anywhere near starting to engage then it can become really stiff to move.

You may need to try and shift it (<which isn't really easy to do though either) to see if it frees up that/and/or remove the back cover, inspect the detent shift assembly components and positions and see if things free up some.

 
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