How to know if your yoke is in place when shift lever screw was removed?

[randomact]

Can someone please tell me, or show some pics so I know what to look for to assure the yoke is in place? If I was to drop the LU how do I know what to look for to assure it's in place and not looks in the GEAR BOX.


I took the shift lever screw out to drain oil on accident that's why I ask!

I have a 70 HP MERC FORCE MOTOR

Thanks

 

[slolorus1]

Re: How to know if your yoke is in place when shift lever screw was removed?

If you think you have it in right, the prop will be hard to turn when you engage your throttle handle into forward or reverse. Obviously, it should spin freely in neutral.

I took my lower end apart and getting that screw and yoke back in place was quite a challenge.

If you only took the screw out and didn't move the shifter or the engine at all, I think there is a good chance the yoke stayed in place. Just check to see if the prop locks up in forward and reverse. If it doesn't work right you will probably have to remove the lower end and put things back in place. You can see if it is in place when the lower unit is removed without taking the gearbox apart. You can look down the area(with a flashlight) where the shift shaft is and see the end of the prop shaft and where the yoke is supposed to be.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: How to know if your yoke is in place when shift lever screw was removed?

Are you the guy that PM'd me? If it doesn't shift, ya got a major problem. The yoke will fall down out of alignment with that hole, and then all the guts must be removed from the lower to get to it. It rides on that pivot screw. Sometimes pulling the lower and laying it on the side, and an Awl in there might get it back up, but 99% of the time, its all coming apart. Let me see if I have some pix..

 

[Scaaty]

Re: How to know if your yoke is in place when shift lever screw was removed?

OK, heres a couple pix. What happens is the shift coupler rides on that pivot screw. If you remove it, it simply falls down and loses the connection on the shift yoke dogs (also a fun part when putting it back together). This the first step in putting a gear case together, so if it don't shift, it will have to come apart.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: How to know if your yoke is in place when shift lever screw was removed?

See the 125 Impeller post for more info on the Yoke..