Stuck Lower unit - The Hull Truth

slacker · 08-05-2003, 05:04 PM

Need some help from you guys. My mechanic said he can't get the lower unit to drop on my 89 200 Johnson looper. He tried wedges and all. Does any one have any other tricks they can share? He said to me just run it until it blows which sounds stupid. But then I would have to buy 2 outboards from him if the price was right.Maybe he is the smart on afterall.
89 Grady-White Trophy Pro Twin 200hp Johnson's

bow to the cow and bleed the blue

danielb · 08-05-2003, 05:59 PM

I had the same problem on a 89 rude 200. Fault was the dealer who changed the water pump. He failed to lube the splines on the drive shaft to the cam shaft and did not install the water pump nor the "o" rings correctly at the top of the drive shaft. Salt water sprayed up and both the drive shaft and the cam shaft were rusted together.
They had my engine hanging upside down for four days, squirting wd-40 and anything else they could think of to try and free the two parts.
After a week OMC ordered the mechanic to sawsall thru the exhaust housing to separate the lower unit from the O/B. OMC paid for everything labor and parts.
I sincerely hope this is not the problem, invert the engine by hanging it by the lower unit and put a big "cushion" under the power head and liberally squirt whatever you can on the drive shaft so it runs down to the splined area at the bottom of the crankshaft and pray alot.
Good luck

Bottomtime · 08-06-2003, 09:13 AM

Not sure if it will work in this situation or not, but I watched my father use a little redneck ingenuity one time to pull a Ford axle out of a rear end that had been left full of water, The axle splines were rusted into the gears pretty bad. He too the tire off of one side and blocked the axle solidly. He then took a 20 foot long logging chain, and slipped the end link over one of the wheel studs, then put the lug nut on to hold the chain. Finally, he gabbed the other end of the chain and stretched it out to its full length. He "snapped" the chain, causing it to ripple toward the truck much like you would do a water hose that was kinked or hung on something ( Made it look like a sin wave). It's hard to explain how it worked, but the weight of the chain (about 30#) worked like a slide hammer and the axle popped right out. I don't know if there is any way to secure the chain around the foot of an outboard though without causing further damage when the chain is "snapped".

auguste · 08-09-2003, 09:01 AM

Did you get it unstuck?

What happened?

What did you do?

reading your post is like watching TV and at the end they say 'Continued next week' and next week the show is pre-empted

" The only boat without a ding or two, is the one that never gets used!!! "

slacker · 08-10-2003, 09:12 PM

I am going to have them cut into the case in the fall. Its running good now so I'll enjou while while I can. I will post the outcome for other boaters.

bow to the cow and bleed the blue

Captain-Olie · 08-11-2003, 01:41 PM

My friends and I just experienced the same problem with our Sailfish. We have '88 200 Johnsons and the lower unit on the port engine would not drop. So in March, our mechanic cut the shaft and pulled the powerhead off with a tow truck. He took back to his shop and replaced the crankshaft and the shaft to the lower unit.

He recommended that every winter we should drop the lower units, store them and regrease the splines in the spring when we reinstall them.

To quote Slick Willy: " I feel your pain"

buckets · 08-11-2003, 01:56 PM

Slacker,
Been there! 1991 Johnson. The shafts were froze together had to cut shaft and replace drive shaft and crank shaft. Start looking for used crank shaft new is about 30% the cost of new engine. Glad I found a used one! Good luck.