Mariner merk question

[walkabout]

" Tony or Joe, I have a 45hp,

" Tony or Joe, I have a 45hp, 4 clyendar Mariner, I believe it is a 1987. I just got the motor and dont have a book for it yet. Here is the problem. I had a lower unit leak, I wanted to change out the impeller and re-do all the lower unit seaLs. The lower unit was pretty salted, I had to torch off the pro hub and cut off the prop, then I had to chip out the threaded nut inside the lower unit to get to the bearing carrier. With allot of heat I did get the bearing carrier out. Now the problem, I am sure I did get all the lower unit nuts out and with allot of heat I could get the lower unit to "seperate". I appears it is all loose and I got it to seperate but only a half inch or so and thats it! I seems loose arround the lower unit bolts but it is definately hung on something. My fear is it is stuck on the drive shaft where it splines into the crank (ouch).

My question is, is there something I missed taking off, perhaps something in the shift linkage or does it just spline up like most mercs? Perhaps something in the anti reverse linkage? Perhaps a pin or bolt I missed? Now if it is stuck on the drive shaft/crank connection can I take off the pinion gear nut and pull the drive shaft through the water pump housing and out of the foot? How about undoing the power head bolts and trying to pull the power head instead. I am considering putting it on the cherry picker, chaining the lower unit to the bottom and the power head to the top and see if a little hydrolics can seperate these two peices. Is there anyway to apply heat to the problem area? As always any assistance you guys can offer is greatly appreciated!

Thanks "

 

[tonyob]

"Walkabout,

If you were abl

"Walkabout,

If you were able to separate the lower unit for a half inch all the way around the seam, I would think that you got all the fastenings. The shift rod is typical Mercury splined shaft. It separates easily; there are no fastenings to remove.

It sounds like the driveshaft is stuck, and this can be a tough problem. Removing the pinion nut and and pulling the lower is worth trying. This will destroy the water pump and bearing housing as the driveshaft is pulled through them. You might be able to avoid this if you can get to the nuts that hold the water pump on, or if you can saw through the studs. You might be able to rig a pulling device onto the driveshaft and get it to separate, once you get the lower unit off. There is a shoulder on the driveshaft that you could use as a pressure point. You can work that against the bottom of the mid-section by using a couple of steel plates, nuts, washers, threaded rod, etc. I have seen it done many times, but sometimes it doesn't work and you end up pulling the powerhead anyway. Then you can hacksaw the driveshaft, and carefully drill out the stub that is left in the crankshaft.

"

 

[walkabout]

" Tony, thanks for the respons

" Tony, thanks for the response and valuable information. I was afraid that would be the case. It does not sound like I have any real good options. If I could pull the pinion nut perhaps the drive shaft would give enough relief to get to the water pump housing bolts? You mentioned that it would tear up the upper bearing housing, would that be avoided if i could get to the waterpump and bearing housing bolts, perhaps the bearing assembly and water pump housing would come off on the drive shaft. If this works will the drive shaft clear the intrermediate housing as the powerhead is removed and the shaft is pulled through? I am thinking then I could turn it all upside down, soak it with allot of blaster and hopefully get a torch on the shaft to get enough heat to eventually break free the corosion lock on the splines. Allot of if's? On the other hand I could slap it back together and sell it

. Dont really want to put too much money into it as it is not wotrh that much. Thanks "