Gear linkage on 1962 5.5hp

I'm in the middle of restoring a 1962 5.5 hp Fisherman...all going well and decided to change the water pump impeller. Put in reverse and removed the 4 bolts, jiggled it around hoping to find the linkage and screw, the lower unit dropped by half an inch but I cant see or find said gear linkage in order to drop the lower unit completely off. I'm pretty convinced it's blindingly obvious but I'm baffled.....

You have to remove power head.---To remove 2 nuts at the top of the shift rod.-----Just 7 screws to remove.----And some hoses.----Need to replace gasket.----Need o-ring for upper mechanical seal.----Very good design in my opinion as there is no way for shift rod to be out of adjustment.

racerone said:

You have to remove power head.---To remove 2 nuts at the top of the shift rod.-----Just 7 screws to remove.----And some hoses.----Need to replace gasket.----Need o-ring for upper mechanical seal.----Very good design in my opinion as there is no way for shift rod to be out of adjustment.

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Thanks for that...I had a horrible feeling that was the case.

It is actually easy to do and your 60 year old motor with last many more years with proper care.----Just a wonderfully simple machine and well made !!

racerone said:

It is actually easy to do and your 60 year old motor with last many more years with proper care.----Just a wonderfully simple machine and well made !!

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Yeah it looks like that and that's the idea...I just have a thing about sheared bolts and these look like they're just waiting for me to shear them.. I've had them soaking in WD40 for nearly a week now. The gear lever was almost seized but a few days of WD and it's freed itself and it goes in and out of gear really smoothly, the main transom bracket is seized / very very stiff so that will need stripping down and the twist grip was very stiff but that's been stripped and cleaned and is smooth now. She's now a runner but the fuel system will still need a complete overhaul, all electrics have been done, paints and decal ordered....Fortunately I have 3 more to do in front of her so it should be plenty of time for the WD40 to work.

Replace the o-ring on the shift lever when powerhead is off.

Try a fresh mix of 100 percent acetone and auto trany fluid @ 50/50. Use carefully as it can damage paint. Mix only a small amount at a time. Synthetic atf doesn't work as well as oil based atf. Power steering fluid is a great alternative. Clean threads well then a light coat of anti seize upon assembly. Why? When the motor was assembled, the bolts were zinc coated, right? That's long gone now.

timguy said:

Try a fresh mix of 100 percent acetone and auto trany fluid @ 50/50. Use carefully as it can damage paint. Mix only a small amount at a time. Synthetic atf doesn't work as well as oil based atf. Power steering fluid is a great alternative. Clean threads well then a light coat of anti seize upon assembly. Why? When the motor was assembled, the bolts were zinc coated, right? That's long gone now.

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Not tried to extract them at the moment but will give that try....not too bothered about the paint as it's going to stripped down anyway. Thanks.

OK...the power head is off, quite an easy task compared to what's coming and been....She's fighting me all the way, soaked everything in ( as mentioned ) 50/50 acetone and ATF, plus heat, plus boiling water, plus WD40, plus threats of wanton violence. Apart from numerous sheared bolts and stripped screws my main concern is the freeing and removal of the main transon hinge ( dont know what the technical term is ), it's seized solid, the engine wont move. Got it stripped down and soaked it for a week now but nothing, she's stuck. Anyone got any pointers or tips otherwise I'll be asking myself is it honestly worth carrying on as I want to get her on the boat, engine's sweet, gear change is smooth, she'll look good resprayed and decaled in original livery I'm sure.