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shift linkage 2001 40 hp lower unit removal

J

jlink

New member
I have a 2001 40 hp mercury and i want to change my water pump impeller. I need some advice with the one piece shift linkage. does it come apart at the upper connection?:confused:
 
There's 2 nuts, one a locking / jam nut & the longer threaded coupling located in front of the lower housing under the main motor housing. Do a search on You Tube
 
For anyone who is searching how to do this on this model this is what I found: Remove the bolts on the lower unit which all the videos show including the hidden nut under the anode (5 total removes). Then, go ahead and remove the shiny plate in front of the engine, the one that has some warning decal about not removing something that won't let you start it in gear. That shiny plate is held by 3 bolts. Move the wiring out the way. There are 3 washers behind the plate, be careful not to let them drop into cowling when removing those 3 bolts. After moving the shiny plate, look for the infamous clip. It is towards the bottom of the front part of the engine, black, and is on a metal short rod. The top of the clip is flat. Take a flathead screwdriver and pop it, the bottom of the clip will hook on to the short metal rod, that's ok. Slide it to the left. The clip has a small little dowel-like rod of its own that goes through a hole on top of the shift shaft. The lower unit will now come out along with the drive shaft and the full length of the shift shaft. When reinstalling, it will be no problem sliding the clip back to the right with its dowel rod through the top of the shift shaft. The biggest thing is to get that shiny plate out the way. And, as you know, there isn't much out there on this. I even called mercury and the guy said the lower unit should come right with no mention of the clip. Good luck!
 
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