Stuck to boat Mercruiser Bravo 3 Can not pull drive off transom

[dollar7499]

Hi there, have just been amassing parts for the swap back to vortec 5.7 (PO tried to replace freeze cracked engine with 1984 SBC engine and gave up) and waiting out the cold snaps and I am all ready to go. I built a huge hoist frame from 4x6s and CAN NOT get my drive off!

2002 Crownline 262 CR vortec 5.7 quadrajet bravo 3

I have the 6 nuts and speedo tube disconnected and have the drive in forward.. I have pulled the spark plugs so I can turn the shaft via standing on the prop. I rotate the prop one full turn and lift the drive against the wood block on top of the drive.

It opens a bit down at the bottom of the mating surface and up by the bolts on one side of the bravo 3 but not the other. The very top right nut broke off in pieces and I think the bolt is corrosion welded into the hole in the drive!

Does anyone have experience with this issue?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... Saltwater boat, eh,..??

Never seen anything that corroded up here on the sweetwater seas,....

Start soakin' it in pen-oil, 'n Pray I guess,....

 

[alldodge]

Putting the drive in forward will not hurt, but the bravo is taken off in neutral. The bravo has a hard time shifting without the input shaft turning (motor).

Reattach the trim cylinders then place the block of wood on top. Use the trim pump to help pry it off.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Just an FYI, that 1984 motor wont match up with much of anything in your 2002 boat. You will want to find a 1996 or newer motor for the least amount of problems

 

[dollar7499]

Thanks for the great advice, keep it coming! I am going to soak the bolt in PB a couple more days and try to run a piece of aluminum can around the bolt before using hydraulic power, I'm too scared of crushing the top of the drive. It really doesn't budge on that bolt at all!

Scott, the 1984 is going out, a 1998 is going in. Well, if the drive comes off...

 

[airshot]

When you do get it off, be sure to coat everything with waterproof wheelbearing grease before reassembly. Gasket or no gasket coat it with grease. I remove my outdrive unit every winter for maintenance then reinstall in the spring. Everything is coated in grease and in the fall it comes right apart with little to no effort.

 

[dollar7499]

Well it took eight days of penetrating oil, wiggling, and praying... but it came off!!

Now I can pull the 1984 engine and install a 2002 engine into my 2002. I'll probably have lots of questions about converting the engine to 4 bbl because I didn't get any MPI parts from the PO. I have a 4bbl intake and a quadrajet.

Thanks everyone!

 

[alldodge]

Great to hear