Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

[jpolsick]

I have a 15 HP evinrude serial # E4854846,
Model # 15R78B. Could someone tell me what year it is? Also, what is the philips head bolt next to the lower drain plug for? I loosened it up to help drain faster and now it wont screw back in.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

That's a 1978 model. As for your shift yoke pivot, you can probably fiddle the yoke back into position with a sharp scratch awl. You'll need a good flashlight, so you can see what you're doing. You may also have to fiddle the shift lever.

Do this with the engine laying flat on the ground with the hole for the pivot screw up. You can also grind a short bevel on the end of the pivot screw. That will help you get it back in once you get things lined up.

Be patient and keep at it. It's a lot easier to fiddle with it until it's lined up than to pull the cap on the lower unit and then have to seal it up watertight again.

After that, don't remove that screw again.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

Yea, many of us made that mistake. As a matter of fact my pivot screw had already been grinded. Do as CAT suggested. If still having trouble aligning the pivot screw to the hole, stand motor on it's head. You'll need a helper for this to hold it steady.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

Yea, many of us made that mistake. As a matter of fact my pivot screw had already been grinded. Do as CAT suggested. If still having trouble aligning the pivot screw to the hole, stand motor on it's head. You'll need a helper for this to hold it steady.

...and be happy it's not a 40 or 50 HP that you're having to take off....

 

[rusirius]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

I have a 15 HP evinrude serial # E4854846,
Model # 15R78B. Could someone tell me what year it is? Also, what is the philips head bolt next to the lower drain plug for? I loosened it up to help drain faster and now it wont screw back in.

I like to refer to that as the "Ohh $h1T!!!" screw... The first time I ever changed gear lube I was just about to unscrew it thinking it was the drain... Then I thought "wait... the top was a straight, this is phillips... I wonder why? Then I noticed the other straight screw... Hrmmm.... A quick consult of the manual reveled the "NEVER EVER remove this screw!" LOL...

As said, you can probably get it back in, but it's gonna be a REAL pain without completely disassembling the lower... The good news is, that's really not that big of a deal.. Just messy and you'll lose your new gear lube... but in a pinch it's probably easier than screwing around for hours trying to get it back in without pulling it apart!

 

[Grant Brown]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

What happens to the motor if the screw is removed? I'm on my way to go pick up a mid 1980's Johnson 9.9 that won't shift into gear. I wonder if the screw has been removed...

Grant

 

[F_R]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

What happens to the motor if the screw is removed? I'm on my way to go pick up a mid 1980's Johnson 9.9 that won't shift into gear. I wonder if the screw has been removed...

Grant

If it has been removed and they got it back in, either they got it right or they got it wrong. Once it is in right, it will not somehow change to wrong.
So, if it has shifted and won't shift now,---oh, you know what I'm saying.

 

[Grant Brown]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

Actually I'm wondering what the symptom of it being in wrong is? Does it stick in gear? Won't go out of gear?

 

[iwombat]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

Basically, the clutch dog is free to wander around between gears until something binds up on the shift yoke that's now flapping around wherever.

 

[carlos1]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

So I wonder if I messed anything up on my 235. I changed the lower unit oil and removed that philips by accident (although did not know at the time that was supposed to stay away from it!). Replaced the o-ring on it and put it back on. Did not have any problems so my question is, was I just lucky or did I screw something up and dont know it yet? What should I do next if anything?

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

Unless you are re-building the lower unit, NEVER EVER touch that screw!!!

I have done a couple of these, and the hardest part to get back in, is that darn screw, it took me over an hour this evening to get this bugger back in!, there is only one way it will go in, and if you don't get it right, you will know it..because the shift fork won't move the dog, then they just float around in the housing until they jam up and make everything really bad!

Straight head screw to drain, straight head screw for vent, staight head screws holding the split case together, Phillips head screw....Big no, no!



Carlos,

You should be able to tell by shifting your motor, even with out running it, if it went right back in as it came out, you might have got lucky and it didn't drop or shift out of place, but I would make sure and have someone shift the motor while listening to the lower unit before I took it out, as I said, you can hear it shift when moving the gear shift lever..

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

fill the slot with JB Weld, then you don't have to worry about someone removing it.

A Mechanic, came to do a pre- purchase inspection, for a buyer. he went to remove that screw, to check the lower unit oil. i stopped him, he said he was right. i told him this was my motor until sold, and he was not to remove the screw. end of story, i had to escort him off my property. THIS GUY ADVERTISED TO BE A MECHANIC, doing inspections.

yes, i sold the motor to the buyer, and he did not pay the "mechanic".

 

[HantsCounty]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

I just did this..... But I had no idea to not take it out. when I went to put it back in it wouldnt go in, than I just pushed up on the bottom of the unit and tried again and it did screw in, so if it does thread in tight, that DOES mean it went back in correctly?

 

[Daviet]

Re: Philips head bolt next to drain plug question

You shouldn't reopen old threads, start a new one.
If it is shifting through the gears, forward-neutral-reverse, properly you got luckey and got the screw back in properly.
You can check the shift operation by shifting the lever and spinning the prop with your hand to see if it engages each gear properly.