Damage to drive shaft teeth

[ziggy]

Re: Damage to drive shaft teeth

it states specifically not to put any grease on top of the vertical shaft during install.

i think they want ya to lub the splines, just not the very top end of the drive shaft. why, i don't know.. but that is what it says..
from service manual #6

edit.

So, I'm getting a gasket kit and a new impeller and am going to throw it all back together.

what are you gonna do about the driven gear in the upper. the female splines. imho, i agree with bondo, they don't look so good to me either.

 

[Augoose]

Re: Damage to drive shaft teeth

Thanks for the response ziggy. The picture of the driven gear doesn't really do justice to the condition - the gear actually looks ok. Not great, but ok - hopefully for at least one more season. Heck, I went out every weekend pulling skiers the way it was all last summer - amazed it lasted this far.

After taking the pic, I took a brush and cleaned it up quite a bit to where I can see the individual teeth. They are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but after visually comparing the teeth from a new driven gear to mine, I'd say that mine are at least 75%-85%.

What I don't understand is that the damage to the teeth on the vertical shaft only extends down about 2/3rds the length of the shaft. In other words, only the upper 2/3rds of the teeth are bad - the lower 1/3 of the teeth are untouched. Does this mean that the vertical shaft was not seated up in the driven gear all the way or are the teeth longer than the driven gear is deep?

I know its impossible to say if my anticipated combination will last, and I know its certainly not recommended. I wish I had the funds to put a new SEI drive in there, but I don't so I'm gambling with a $300 investment to last me a year or two more. I suppose if it does fail, I'm looking at replacing the whole unit anyway so I'd only be out $300 (I've got a kicker to get me back to the dock if it does fail).

Thanks all for the advice and please forgive me for going against the grain with a used piece of equipment.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Damage to drive shaft teeth

You are not going agaist any grain I know. When people around here bust a lower unit unless the boat is new or they have pockets full of money they search out a junk boat and pull the drive off of it. My Bayliner has a v/6 drive behind a v/8 Went form a 19 prop to a 21 and keep on boating. I will put an SEI drive on my Century if it bites the dust. I have seen people put all kinds of questionable parts together and come out with a boat that runs for years. I have also seen new parts mixed with old dump on the ramp. The dice are rolling the question is will it be box cars or snake eyes? Wish you the best.