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Inner Exhaust Housing (On Lowet Unit) Seal Position? (Johnson 55HP from 1979)

jasondainter

jasondainter

Regular Contributor
Hi!

Im fairly sure this looks right but could someone kindly confirm that this exhaust housing (part 315958) is supposed to fit as shown above with the metal tabs above the seal (not nestled inside the seal). Thanks ahead.

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Hi Joe. Im having trouble getting the lower unit back on without this housing falling off. I'm lifting up the unit at an angle (the rest motor is on my boat) but spent the last hour trying to work out how to keep that exhaust in place without falling off before it sits in place (since there's nothing actually holding it down except gravity)

Is there a pro tip for this?
 
Just after posting think I managed this. I taped the exhaust to the upper area and brought the lower unit to it, then removed tape when it was close. Think it's in.

My issue now.. Then shift rod hasn't popped out the top where I expected it to be so I could connect the shift linkage arm. Very odd. It's in neutral is that the correct gear to reassemble in?
 
The shift rod is accessible at various points throughout its length whereas you can grab it with a pair of long-nose pliers to turn it, raise it, lower it... sometimes it can be a real pain, but put it wherever you need it. If I remember correctly, all the way up works for me.

Before installing the lower unit, I always put the engine's shift linkage all the way up so that it doesn't interfere with turning the rod, moving up/down, whatever. The long nose pliers seemed to be a necessity with me.

That long inner exhaust tube... yeah, you figured it out... install it first then raise the lower unit to it. It helps to grease the seal in the lower unit somewhat so as to have that tube slide it in properly.
 
Thank you for the speedy replies! Super helpful as always.

Something i'm finding is that as I push up the shift rod it pushes itself out of neutral. For that reason maybe Ill give it a go in reverse (pushing the rod DOWN if I am not mistaken!) and then putting the boats gear arm also into reverse to match. My theory is that might stop it from knocking downwards as it touched the connecting linkage parts.

I could very well

joereeves said:
If I remember correctly, all the way up works for me.
Click to expand...

Jsut to clarify do you mean the shift rod being pulled up (so in forward gear if I'm not mistaken?)

joereeves said:
Before installing the lower unit, I always put the engine's shift linkage all the way up so that it doesn't interfere with turning the rod, moving up/down, whatever.
Click to expand...

Am I mistaken in thinking I cannot put the shift linkage up on my model (1979 Johnson 55hp electric long shaft). I couldnt see anywhere obvious how I could move the linkage part in the top of the motor unless I'm missing something obvious!

joereeves said:
That long inner exhaust tube... yeah, you figured it out... install it first then raise the lower unit to it. It helps to grease the seal in the lower unit somewhat so as to have that tube slide it in properly.
Click to expand...

Great thank you. Yeah I used some johnson gasket compound on it (hopefully that was ok).
 
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Update: I think I'm winning...

Got it on by moving the shift linkage UP (by putting the boat in forwards with the lever inside) this got it out the way for me to push it through with gearcase in neautral (I think this is what you meant Joe). Then I put the boat into neutral to line up the rod head with the linkage, and it slipped into place. Now I just need to get the bolt through it but its looking promising!
 
Sometimes neutral does it fine... BUT... if memory serves me right, I think I had better luck getting that shoulder bolt in there when in forward gear, raising the shift rod via the long nose pliers route.

Seems to me that neutral was just a little too low to get the bolt just right, but that may have been a different hp model. Some things (memories) are a little faint.
 
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