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How do you separate DP290 intermediate unit from lower unit

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F29Formula

New member
Hello All, newbie here to the forum..... I welcome all support and willing to learn all I can.

I have a 1988 F29Formula with twin VP DP290 and AC271 C motors. Bought the boat used and been trying to get it back in the water. Prior owner had left the port outdrive off the boat in the weather. I'm in Long Island New York. I had the unit stored in my garage and removed the upper transmission to get serviced and rebuilt professionally for me. In any event the lower unit won't spin the propeller shaft. I am trying to separate the intermediate unit to see what is being bound up. I removed the 7 Hex bolts from the unit. I used a small flat putty knife (which I now read I should not have done) to try and separate the units. On the right side of the drive I have separation but not on the left side. (I shine a flashlight and can see the light)

So....How is this normally separated? I read patience and heat!! Where do I apply the heat to? What would be causing the binding? Is there a standard method to separate the two halves?

Thanks for all answers in advance.

Mike
 
In my haste and not doing it all at the same time.....I missed one bolt that was covered in barnacle stuff, cleaned it out and removed the bolt then it came right apart.....

F29Formula said:
Hello All, newbie here to the forum..... I welcome all support and willing to learn all I can.

I have a 1988 F29Formula with twin VP DP290 and AC271 C motors. Bought the boat used and been trying to get it back in the water. Prior owner had left the port outdrive off the boat in the weather. I'm in Long Island New York. I had the unit stored in my garage and removed the upper transmission to get serviced and rebuilt professionally for me. In any event the lower unit won't spin the propeller shaft. I am trying to separate the intermediate unit to see what is being bound up. I removed the 7 Hex bolts from the unit. I used a small flat putty knife (which I now read I should not have done) to try and separate the units. On the right side of the drive I have separation but not on the left side. (I shine a flashlight and can see the light)

So....How is this normally separated? I read patience and heat!! Where do I apply the heat to? What would be causing the binding? Is there a standard method to separate the two halves?

Thanks for all answers in advance.

Mike
Click to expand...
 
Seems my issue is with the lower unit and propeller shafts/ lower gear set. I get some movement but clearly stuck. Do I need all the special tools to handle this or is this best left to the shop?
 
If you have the lower unit removed and the prop shaft does not move you have an issue. Did you check to see if there is fishing line wrapped around the prop shaft? The "line cutter" is not infallible. I've found mono on my prop shaft that had literally melted into a solid mass... Also... is the prop shaft bent? Bend that coaxial shaft and it will bind. It may pay for you just buy another ( used) lower unit if you can't find an equipped shop. Your old one may have some value parted out for the case and any undamaged innards.
 
F29Formula said:
Seems my issue is with the lower unit and propeller shafts/ lower gear set. I get some movement but clearly stuck. Do I need all the special tools to handle this or is this best left to the shop?
Click to expand...

Capt Bob,

Thanks for the reply. No fishing line....I bough this boat several years ago...been working slowly on it. This drive was left off the boat when I got it. I even found acorns inside the intermediate unit...no idea how they could get into that part..there is a cavity near the zinc but no passage that I can see.

I am assuming it is rust inside the unit. the shafts are not bent.

Once I got that last bolt out they came apart with no issue. I can see that there was no Permatex or other sealant used. Just the O rings were there. If I try and spin the propeller shaft, The vertical bearing on top does move ever so slightly. I just don't want to force it. I just has the upper unit and universal rebuilt last year for the same drive so the shop I used was very good.

Thanks
 
What condition was the drive oil in? was there any drive oil in it??? If you go the lower unit replacement route, note that the drives are tailored for use with 4,6 or 8 cylinder engines by the drive ratio in the lower unit. There are still some NOS lower units for sale.
 
Last edited:
sandkicker said:
If you want a copy of the Volvo OEM drive shop manual, PM me your email address.
Click to expand...
There was oil in the lower unit, I have to take the oil out to take a look at it.

The casing is all in great shape and so is the fork. I have to think it's a frozen bearing? The vertical race and bearing looked good as well, though I am onlu judging as there are no score marks in either and the roller pins look good. Of course I would be replacing all of them anyway..

Mike
 
re: "... removed the upper transmission to get serviced and rebuilt professionally for me...."
What EXACTLY was wrong with the upper?
 
sandkicker said:
re: "... removed the upper transmission to get serviced and rebuilt professionally for me...."
What EXACTLY was wrong with the upper?
Click to expand...
When I got it, the whole drive was left off the boat so the u joints were completely rusted. I took off the upper unit, had the old u joints pressed out and had the shop rebuild them. I wasn't confident in reassembling it without having all the correct dial indicators. it also need a new clamping collar as the old one was pitted too much. They rebuilt it with all new u joints, seals and bearings. The upper unit has zero slop in it now.

When I got it back that was when i didn't remember if I ever spun the lower unit. In any event it sat in my garage covered for a fairly long time and when I got the upper back I didn't install it because the prop shaft won't spin freely.
 
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