TOPIC: 70 Evinrude, dropped part

I'm getting ready to swap my Evinrude onto another hull and when disconnecting the wiring and controls first thing I did was drop a small nut down into the front exhaust housing cover. The housing is part #42 in the diagram. The nut was a small stainless steel nylock that secured the shift cable to the linkage. I couldn't duplicate this move if I tried a thousand times. I thought I could just remove the cover and fish out the nut, but...

The cover has 4 horizontal bolts holding it to the rear housing, no problem, but it has two more that go in vertically and the left side one looks almost inaccessible with the powerhead in place. Jeez!

I'm going to replace the impeller before I do the swap, and I'm wondering if it's likely that the nut will just drop down on top of the impeller housing area and be retrievable when I drop the lower unit? Otherwise it's major work to get the cover off. Any ideas? Also, if I just leave that nut loose in there, is it likely to do any damage?

I'd just drop the LU and it should be there somewhere, and don't think be a problem anyway. Done similar too and now I stuff a rag "diaper" under any nut work that can easy fall down that cavity!

I've got an inexpensive "telescoping magnetic pickup" tool that has paid for itself many times over Norm, they're under $10 at HF or Northern Tool. Might be worth a try, or watch for it as you pull the lower like Robby said - gotta do the impeller anyway right? Good luck sir, and Merry Christmas!

Thanks guys. The nut is stainless and a magnet won't pick it up (I tried it on the matching throttle cable nut) and the place where it dropped down in that front cover is so tiny you wouldn't think even the nut would have fit through there. I'll look for it when I drop the L.U.

This motor is pretty original, no signs of any ham-handed shade tree guys (like me) having dismantled anything in all these years. Guess it's time to start.
Have a great Christmas.

Norm,I've had a lot of luck with this tool.

Norm, been there done that. The last motor I dropped a screw down there I already sold and CRS set in. But I don't recall it being too difficult to get the housing off. You might have to loosen up the lower pan, those are just screws without nuts. When you do get the thing off you will be surprised at what you'll find. Fishing line, snap swivels, an assortment of nuts, bolts, screws washers, clamps and lots of greasy dirt but never the part you are looking for because it probably didn't fall there anyway
I think OMC had a chapter in tech training on how to dispose of unwanted sundry items and this is the final resting place for even new unused hardware.

Good to know I'm not alone. If it doesn't show up when I drop the L.U., I'll try removing the cover. We finally got some winter weather here, so for now I just look out the window at my boats and sigh...

63 Sabre wrote:

Norm, been there done that. The last motor I dropped a screw down there I already sold and CRS set in. But I don't recall it being too difficult to get the housing off. You might have to loosen up the lower pan, those are just screws without nuts. When you do get the thing off you will be surprised at what you'll find. Fishing line, snap swivels, an assortment of nuts, bolts, screws washers, clamps and lots of greasy dirt but never the part you are looking for because it probably didn't fall there anyway
I think OMC had a chapter in tech training on how to dispose of unwanted sundry items and this is the final resting place for even new unused hardware.

YEP! Great little hiding place! Hey, if ya can at least see it, what the heck! Wooden small dowel with some "Tacky Glue" the end? (HA!)

Can't see it at all. The little gap it fell through was exactly big enough to let the nut drop through. At first my biggest concern was that in removing the port side vertical bolt that might also drop down into the lower housing. But the more I think about it, if that happens I'll retrieve both the bolt and the nut when I drop the L.U. That port bolt will need a universal joint socket to remove, and I'll need to get the fuel hose connector out of the way too. One step up and two steps back.

It sounds like you don't have much clearance so this might not work, but what about going old school and putting something sticky on the end of a coat hanger? You could use something like JB weld Epoxy Putty. That stuff is super sticky (before it dries) but has a strong consistency that will stick and old to the coat hanger.

merccooper, if I tried that I would also have a hanger stuck also. frog

my luck too frog....if it doesn't show when the lower is dropped, an air blow gun with a chunk of brakeline attached will knock it out sometimes....start with low pressure...john

I sure appreciate all the suggestions. I can't wait for our brief New Mexico winter to pass so I can get out there and get this swap project done. It snowed here last night. I think the 70 hp will be a nice upgrade to my Delmar, at least until I get around to refurbishing my 650 Merc. I had to chuckle at Frog's comment. I was thinking the same thing. Either a hanger epoxied into the cowl, or glued to my forehead.

No, you will not find the nut when you drop the lower unit. There's no way for it to get into the exhaust housing from up top.
Just remove the lower cover. With a 3/8 socket on a u joint and extension it won't be an use reaching the partially hidden bolt.