Shift Shaft Broke

[Boost240sx]

The motor: 93' 200hp 25" Shaft Merc Offshore

I was having problems getting it to go in reverse (it would go in forward fine) and being the idiot I am some how made it pop in reverse with enough force that the lower motor mounts pulled out around an inch (looks as if it was their time to go anyway). This in turn sheared the shift shaft right at the coupling just above where it goes over the part in the lower unit.

I pulled the lower unit and very carefully with pliers I tested the lower unit and it appears to be okay. I found the motor mounts at pro marine but it appears a new shift shaft is not available on the net. I can't seem to find one reasonably at any of the local places either. I assume the coupling is stainless steel, do you think it would fail again if I were to weld it back together? Or should I keep searching? Also... what would make it all of a sudden difficult for it to go into reverse?

Thanks for any help.

[flabum1017]

The trick is welding it back to the original angle. Most of the time that you hear of a brke shift shaft, it's due to electrolosys or rust.

[Boost240sx]

Also is it possible to remove the shift shaft without removing the power head?

I can't figure out how it disconnects.

[Bruster]

I'm pretty sure I have a 25" shift shaft for your motor. Sad news is you need to remove the powerhead to remove the shift shaft. Send me a PM if you are interested in the shift shaft.:thumbsup:


The motor: 93' 200hp 25" Shaft Merc Offshore

I was having problems getting it to go in reverse (it would go in forward fine) and being the idiot I am some how made it pop in reverse with enough force that the lower motor mounts pulled out around an inch (looks as if it was their time to go anyway). This in turn sheared the shift shaft right at the coupling just above where it goes over the part in the lower unit.

I pulled the lower unit and very carefully with pliers I tested the lower unit and it appears to be okay. I found the motor mounts at pro marine but it appears a new shift shaft is not available on the net. I can't seem to find one reasonably at any of the local places either. I assume the coupling is stainless steel, do you think it would fail again if I were to weld it back together? Or should I keep searching? Also... what would make it all of a sudden difficult for it to go into reverse?

Thanks for any help.

[TEXAS20225]

its 10 nuts and some minor stuff go :iagree:ahead and lift the power head off and save your self some major BS i listened to some EXPERTS ONCE who said just drive the tension pin out of the shift shaft and the rod will fall out the bottom and you can slide a new shaft on the lever and drive the pin back in and no power head removal well i guess a expert is x a unknown number and a spurt is a short blast of water after messing around with that idea for 3 hours and could not drive the pin out it took me 11/2 hours to lift off power head and set it back on the adapter . you pay for the shipping ill give you a shaft

[Boost240sx]

Do you have paypal? PM me your paypal and I'll send it to you ASAP. I would love to get that thing back on the water and fishing next weekend.

Anything else I should do while I got the powerhead off? I haven't checked the manual yet but any gaskets I need to replace to pull it off?

[TEXAS20225]

To exhaust plate what is your zip code ill get a shipping amount and i have paypal

[WATERWINGS]

Sad news is you need to remove the powerhead to remove the shift shaft.

Not exactly true....I have accidentally forgot to put the shift shaft in before, the powerhead, and all I did was remove the little pin at the top of the shift shaft, and put the shaft in from the bottom, and then put the top part back on and put the pin back in, and your done.

I just read the rest of the posts above, and it may be hard to do if the shaft is IN the motor, when I did mine, the shaft was OUT of the motor, and I could put it in a vise to remove the pin........also, not sure if the intake was on the block or not at the time.

[Bruster]

I'm sure you could if you fooled around long enough. :confused:


Not exactly true....I have accidentally forgot to put the shift shaft in before, the powerhead, and all I did was remove the little pin at the top of the shift shaft, and put the shaft in from the bottom, and then put the top part back on and put the pin back in, and your done.

I just read the rest of the posts above, and it may be hard to do if the shaft is IN the motor, when I did mine, the shaft was OUT of the motor, and I could put it in a vise to remove the pin........also, not sure if the intake was on the block or not at the time.

[WATERWINGS]

Took about 5 minutes.:thumbsup:

[Bruster]

Could you do what he needs done in 5 minutes?


Took about 5 minutes.:thumbsup:

[Boost240sx]

I have the starboard side lower cowling off and have a pretty direct shot to the pin going through the arm at the top under the intake manifold. Is the only thing that needs to happen is knock that pin through and the shaft will come out the bottom? (The lower unit is already off)

[WATERWINGS]

Yes, if the LU is already off, it should drop right out once the pin is out.

It may take a little twisting and pulling, but it should come right out.:thumbsup:

[Boost240sx]

GOT IT OUT!

Remove the lower cowling and hit it out from the port side. With a long enough punch it comes right out with ease. Just be careful of the vacuum port next to it. As a matter of fact can any of you take a picture of yours so I can make sure I didn't damage mine. I would much appreciate it.

Next thing is how you get the lower mounts off. It isn't in the manual. I was thinking the shift shaft was holding up being able to pry it back far enough to get the bolts out but that isn't it. I'm missing something. Any ideas?

[TEXAS20225]

i sent you a pm on shipping.

[WATERWINGS]

The lower bolts are a little more tricky if they have never been off and "turned around"

It sounds like they haven't been.:(

[Boost240sx]

So how do I do it, just keep prying the motor back?

[WATERWINGS]

No, theres not enough room if they have never been taken out, and turned around you will have to pull the power head....(unless somebody else knows another short cut)

[Boost240sx]

If I were to cut the bolt, it would come out easily...but how difficult would it be to find another one of those bolts?

Is it a must to replace the upper mounts also, or will I be alright with just the lower mounts?

Any pictures of the vacuum port I was talking about?

[TEXAS20225]

ill mail it am in the morning

[WATERWINGS]

I don't know how you could cut the bolt without messin something else up.

They are special bolts, but you can get them from Mercury.

What kind of boat is it? Do you want (need),to put solid mounts in or go back with rubber mounts?

Lower mounts will make a big difference, (solid on a performance boat), and keeping rubber mounts on top will help keep some of the vibration out of your hull, but a "V" brace will make this particular set up more complete...but thats a whole 'nother story.

The best would be to put solid mounts top and bottom if it is a performance hull......what kind of boat?



Not sure what you mean about the vacuum port?

[Boost240sx]

I could pry the engine back far enough from the tilt bracket to get a sawz' all blade or angle grinding blade between the mount and lower pivot mount. I think acquiring that bolt might be the difficult part though.

It is purely a fishing boat. A 22' WA Robalo to be exact, it is not light by any stretch. It gets on plane slow and has a top speed of low 40s mph. The only performance I normally worry about is gph. So... rubber mounts?

Right next to the shift shaft under the powerhead is what appears to be a vacuum port. If you are looking at the front of the engine, it is on the left side of the shift shaft.

Thanks again TEXAS.

[Bruster]

Saw 'em off, but ya need to think about how you are going to get the new ones (that you will now need to buy) in. Everything needs to come apart, there just aren't really any shortcuts when you're doing it right, just 1 way, but what do I know?.. other than you would have it all apart by now.



I could pry the engine back far enough from the tilt bracket to get a sawz' all blade or angle grinding blade between the mount and lower pivot mount. I think acquiring that bolt might be the difficult part though.

It is purely a fishing boat. A 22' WA Robalo to be exact, it is not light by any stretch. It gets on plane slow and has a top speed of low 40s mph. The only performance I normally worry about is gph. So... rubber mounts?

Right next to the shift shaft under the powerhead is what appears to be a vacuum port. If you are looking at the front of the engine, it is on the left side of the shift shaft.

Thanks again TEXAS.

[hydroholic]

The bolts are just stainless fine threaded. You should be able to get them at most hardware stores or bolt stores. (we have a store called threaded fasteners, they carry just about anything you need).Use stainless lock nuts and washers as well. But as said above ,cut the ones on it now and that will get your mounts off but you will not be able to get them back in. If you change the top ones as well, you will need to pull the powerhead off to get to them. Might as well change both and be done. Pulling the powerhead will be probably be easier and quicker than messing with the other ways.
Hydro

[Boost240sx]

Couldn't I just turn the bolt around and have the nut inside the motor mount instead of the bolt head?

[WATERWINGS]

YES....thats the way you do it so next time you don't have to take it all apart.

That way, you could actually change the tuner, (if you needed to) without pulling the powerhead.....

(HotBoat was good for something back in the day)

[Boost240sx]

I meant for the lower mount but I get what you mean. I may hold off on the upper mount for now since I got the pin out without pulling the powerhead.

Does it make since which vacuum port I was describing above?

[WATERWINGS]

Yes, I meant the lower also.

Thats the way I do all of mine when I have to take them apart for whatever reason.

Once you have done that, you can pull the complete bottom 1/2, off and still have the powerhead sittin on its mounts.

(If you needed to change the mid, or change tuner etc...or even if you just have to change the lower yolk)

The vacuum port that you are talking about.....does the hose run up to the top of the motor also?

If thats the one, it supplies oil to the top bearing, (its VERY important), and you need to make sure it isn't damaged.

[TEXAS20225]

i have around a bazillion of those bolts i could have dropped them in the tube:nonod::nonod::nonod::nonod:

[Boost240sx]

That sucks, I guess I'll have to check the bolt supplier tomorrow. Get a tracking number?

Yep that is the port I was talking about. See how it as tilted a little and depressed slighly. I just wanted to make sure that this is how it is supposed to be.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/Boost240sx/DSCF0914.jpg

Know where I could find an upper yoke? If and when I go through the pain of replacing the upper mounts I'd like to fix this...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/Boost240sx/DSCF0913.jpg

[TEXAS20225]

FEDEX 045771410161324 it should be there thursday

[Boost240sx]

Awesome.

Thanks again.

[TEXAS20225]

so where you at on the mounts:confused:promarine sells them fo bout 50.00 each

[Boost240sx]

Pro Marine is the place!

If I can find a swivel bracket in good shape I'm going to go ahead a replace the uppers also and get it over with. Mine is in pretty rough shape. There is a place locally that has a lot of used parts but they are normally pretty high priced, looks like I'll have to call tomorrow.

[TEXAS20225]

yeah i would pay 30.15 each for them but i think you have to be a dealer to get that price if you got a deal go for it