lower unit clicking

[savage]

I just cleaned out my lower unit in a parts cleaner and completely resealed everything. Water pump not installed yet. I now notice some side play in the drive shaft and when I rotate the drive shaft it clicks like its trying to engage a gear. Real noisey without any oil in it. Is it supposed to do this?? Forward and reverse gears engage good. 225 3.0 Optimax

[K-Dawg]

It should tighten up when you put the waterpump housing back on. If you pull up on the driveshaft and turn it, it should be smooth.

[savage]

The drive shaft does turn smooth if i pull up on it then turn it. I just figured that when it is bolted to the motor that the drive shaft would be dropping down into the housing just like it is now and making noise like its racheting and trying to engage with something. What would keep the shaft up and turning smooth?

[K-Dawg]

I ain't sure....Fluid Pressure from the rotating gears......

[SatisfAction]

If it's clicking then the lower is still in gear. Whether it be reverse or forward. Make sure it's shifted in neutral. Or.. it's in gear and you're spinning the wrong way.

[flabum1017]

Once the engine is started, the pinion rides up the other gears, this keeps the shaft pushed up.

[savage]

The case is definately in neutral, the prop shaft is not turning. So when the motor is running at 750 RPM the drive shaft is being pushed up towards the motor. I keep looking at the exploded view in my manual and I can't visualize which gear that the pinion could be riding up on if the case is in neutral. I believe what you are telling me I'm just trying to get a better understanding of how the unit operates. Thanks

[flabum1017]

All three gears spin at the same time all the time. Gears have a tendancy to push away from eachother while running.

[SatisfAction]

Well something isn't right. I've deushed my lower unit out a couple times to remove all the remnants of watery oil and I didn't have any problems. Have someone nearby you who knows what they're doing take a look or listen to it. I wouldn't hook it up or attempt to run it until making damn sure it's in proper working order.

Edit: Perhaps try installing the waterpump and see how it goes. The impeller should add some ridigity to the shaft play since it is enclosed in the assembly.

[savage]

I'm now not as concerned about the side to side play,the water pump should take care of that. That up and down movement and what I call "clicking or ratcheting" when I turn the shaft by hand without pulling up on it still concerns me. The lower unit was in working order berfore I resealed it, I just want to make sure that I didn't cause this problem. I didn't remove the prop shaft, drive shaft,or the shift shaft. All I really did was remove and reinstall the carrier and torqued to 210 lbs.

[Capt.Insane-o]

The driveshaft will wobble side to side. Once running the design of the cut on the gears pushes the driveshaft up. The ratcheting sound you hear is probably because it is in forward, it's the sound of the clutch dog ramps slipping over each other then dropping back into place.

[marshan162]

The noise and slight roughness when the shaft is pushed down is normal. As long as it is smooth while lifted up it's OK. If you had an older lower with a preloaded drive shaft it, would be the opposite way round and would be pulled down when running. The older drive shaft can be identied by a spring loaded pin on the powerhead end.

[savage]

That's what it feels like, but the unit is not in gear, forward or reverse.

[flabum1017]

As long as it is smooth when you pull up on it, you are OK

[hsbob]

did you take the shifting dog off. if so it could be backwards. if so you never get reverse[ if memory is correct or vise versa].

[savage]

No I did not remove any of the shafts, just the carrier.

The shaft turns smooth if I pull up on it,so I guess its Okay. Thanks for the help guys especially Flabum1017. I feel a sense of relief that the case is okay.
It will be a long time before I can test it, most of the water here in PA is still hard.

[DsturbD]

Depending on your serial #/year model you shouldn't have any play in your drive shaft. The early girls had a single tapered bearing box which will have movement and the later ones had 2 tapered bearings on the driveshaft to prevent the pinion/driveshaft moving up and down. As far as the clicking goes rotate your propshaft if you hear a similar noise its probably the dogs catching if not it could be something else. Its highly unlikely that you have caused a problem if you have only had the carrier out. Post your serial # so we can tell what box you have.


Cheers.

[savage]

1999 225 Optimax serial #OG840290

Thanks

[DsturbD]

That serial # comes up as a single tapered bearing driveshaft which will have movement, if you lift the drivshaft and turn at the same time and it is smooth and quiet your ok. Without lifting the driveshaft and turning it will feel and sound notchy.


Good Luck.

[savage]

Thanks everyone. This site rocks!!!!!!!