TOPIC: Doc, Ed or Anyone - pls Shift Shaft

ok water pump done and closed up.
the lower unit was drop with control lever in forward.
installed lower unit and I must have rotated the shift shaft, control lever binds.

I can use a 9mm socket to rotate the splines and shift shaft.
WHAT IS THE PROPER POSTION before setting the upper and lower cams on the splines?

turn shaft clockwise all the way?
turn shaft counter clockwise all the way but stop before it clicks into what might be neutral?
the upper and lower cams appear to only go into the upper housing with the side tabs at port and starboard so they slide up in the grooves.

thank you for any instructions or pictures that you can offer
this is on the 62-63 merc 500
1 picture

"turn shaft counter clockwise all the way but stop before it clicks into what might be neutral" This is the answer if you're going to install with the shifter in Fwd.

Then you'd install the brass cams "nestled" together as shown in your picture, and as you well-stated the upper piece has to be aligned with the slots in the mid-section. What I'll do is grease-up the upper cam real good then stick it up in there.

Then the lower cam goes on the shift shaft (see attached picture). But I think you've got a pretty good handle on how the cams have to be aligned to go up, and the mystery of where to have the shift shaft is solved.

The pic shows the alignment of the lower cam with the Port side stud on the L/U. And of course this is with the shift shaft all the way CCW, where any more movement in the CCW direction gets you into Neutral. But you're still in Fwd.

The nice thing about having the L/U in gear is that you can turn the prop as you install the lower unit, to get the driveshaft splines engaged with the crankshaft. In Fwd gear, the prop will ratchet in one direction and drive in the other. It will spin the driveshaft backwards, but that's not going to hurt the new impeller.

HTH............ed

Thanks Ed.
I'll use your method of greasing the upper cam and sticking it up there first.
Report back later.
thx!

All is running as it should, sticking the upper cam up there with grease also help align the splines.
thanks again
still need to dial the high end in a little but the pump is back to working with the new impeller
Neutral

Forward

Hello Eric,

That old Merc sounds perfectomudo.

Read about the Sweet Pee rescue service to kick off the Woody’s & Wieners event.


Photo courtesy of woodyboaters.com

I hope to visit Matt at the Marine Railway and the coordinates are on my list.

Hello Ed,
Great tip on installing the lower while set in forward gear. And if the prop is not attached just keep some “water pump pliers” handy.

Looking at Eric's pics here with the new style pump housing, helps me understand as you have said before, the top seal and or shaft condition is not all too critical and the slinger acts as a seal.

Thanks
Terry

Hi Terry,

Yea, that was not fun... I organized the event for our ACBS Tidewater Chapter. Got there early, dropped the boat and started heading around to Matt's. Then it all came to an end...called Matt and then he almost got stuck in the sand.

pic from my perspective!...don't want to see that again.

We have a show in Reedville, Sat. Sept. 11 and Matt's place will be open and docks available.

Eric