inline 6 lower unit install. PROBLEM

[CaptainD101]

I just serviced my water pump on my 90 hp mercury inline 6. When I bought my kit from the repair shop I asked for a 1986 water pump kit. looks identical in size and shape. Fits back on just fine. But when installing I get the drive shaft in place but left with that inch or so gap and just cant seem to get the shift linkage lined up. The lower unit is in rev. when removed.

My prob. is when I get drive shaft in place, for some reason stuck with that inch and cant get shifter in place. either the shift linkage is banging against each other and not lining up or the water pump housing is hitting something and not allowing it to even fall in place.

My question is do all 1980- 1986 90hp inline six motors have the same water pump housing? to rule this prob of water pump housing not being the right one.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: inline 6 lower unit install. PROBLEM

Normally water pump repair kits are pretty universal. Have you turned the flywheel to mate the splines on the driveshaft, with the crankshaft? If so, use a needle nose piler to line up the upper and lower shift shafts. If they wont mate, you will need to turn the lower shift shaft CW, and see if it helps. I always put motor and control into neutral before removing gearcase, as it makes it much easier to reinstall.

 

[CaptainD101]

Re: inline 6 lower unit install. PROBLEM

hey chris thanks for the idle screw adjustment tips. once I get this lower unit on correctly then I can run and adjust. And yes I am lining up the drive shaft first then the shift linkage which wasnt lining up before and I understand more how it functions. my fingers fit just enough to line it up. water pump is lining up fine, it was the shift linkage that was banging against each other.

update.
I got the lower unit on last night. And yes I manually shifted the lower unit into nuetral as it was easier to line up the shift linkage.

problem now
when control box is in neutral the prop spins freely both ways. But when turning fly wheel CW while in lower unit and shift box in neutral the prop is spinning Forward. Im not getting the DRIVE SHAFT into neutral. its wanting to engage either rev. or forw. but no neutral. BUT lower unit will shift into neutral.

I dont want to start the motor with drive shaft spinning the prop for obvious reasons, as its not functioning correctly. Is the shift linkage still not correct.

heres a pic of how I made this a one man job. slide the lowerunit in place put ratchet strap on exhaust holes and tighten a little . then turn fly wheel and you can feel it line up. then ratchet a little more and lined up the shift linkage then put bolts. just my two cents

 

[Chris1956]

Re: inline 6 lower unit install. PROBLEM

Gearcase seems to be still in forward. Turn lower shift shaft CCW until it clicks and stays in neutral.

Be careful with ratchet straps. You don't want to force drivshaft. I tilt motor all the way up and just use arm power to push gearcase into position. Then turn flywheel with left hand and after splines mate, I use fingers to tighten bolts on gearcase studs.

 

[CaptainD101]

Re: inline 6 lower unit install. PROBLEM

lol. so maybe this is a two man job or maybe four eyes. I was showing my friend how is it possible and he held the prop when I turned the flywheel and it wasnt moving. I forgot when I put the prop on to back the nut off. So afterall the prop was just on to tight and was turning the prop shaft

 

[CaptainD101]

Re: inline 6 lower unit install. PROBLEM

everything is lined up perfect and shifting fine. I knew what I was explaining sounded stupid. It was playing an illusion on me.