Trying to do a water pump replacement on a pair of f150s. Had the boat for a year and had one go out. No problem. Just remove the zinc skeg remove 7 bolts and the lower unit should come tumbling right down into my arms right?
Had to drill out the zinc skeg from the bottom up. The bolt holding it on was stripped out and wouldn’t let the zinc come off. That was a little tricky. Finally got that under control then moved to lower unit removal. It won’t come apart. Rubber mallets and wedges. Hammers and 2x4s. It is frozen.
Make sure it is in neutral. Remove the bolt under the zinc, and the rest around the lower. The shift connector is a splined male link on the lower. Its not like an OMC, so you don’t have to disconnect it. It simply just 2 splined connections, one male and the other female. We have used a 2x4 with light taps with it standing on end.
If it wont come out easy, it may be stuck in the powerhead. Just make sure all bolts are out.
What Loopervet said. That engine has a male/female spline shaft for the shifter and doesn’t have to be disconnected. If all the bolts are out, the drive shaft is stuck in the power head. If you can invert the engine, spray some PB Blaster or other penetrate in there and let it sit awhile. Then patience, 2X4, wood wedges and a mallet. Patience more than anything. If you beat something long enough it will come out
If its stuck in the powerhead, you will most likely have to cut the drive shaft. Then power head comes off. Then trying to get it out with some heat. Lower unit is rebuilt, or new one ordered. Then all back together.
There may be other ways to do it. Hopefully Chris V chimes in.
I have to ask, but aren’t there two bolts on the end of the unit, one you access from the top down that holds the zinc, then a second that resides under the zinc you access from the bottom up? Make sure they are all out. My 225 is that way, and I think the 150 is set up the same way.
Whew! Got one of the two lowers to come off no problem. Starboard motor is frozen. All bolts removed including the one we drilled out under the zinc. I’m fraid the shaft is frozen inside the stbd motor. The one that did come apart had no grease on it. Taking the boat to Mechanic in the morning. Thanks for the input everybody.
put the bolts half way in, put a wedge in one side and run it in the water in gear, hard, and most of the time they will drop
do it on the trailer at the ramp.
We got the lower to come off. Large sharp steel wedges did the trick. Along with some down pressure applied with couple long 2x4’s and a chain prying off of the trailer. Put a new one in. Was a little tough getting everything seated good and tight. Fought us a little pushing it all the way up into place. Got everything bolted together hooked to rabbit ears and the motor will barely turn over. Sounds like a weak battery but the battery is all good. Tried a couple times and the engine struggles to turn over. Any ideas?
drift shaft is binding against bottom of crankshaft
you probably used the bolts to force the lowerunit back up into place.
now that force is pressing the crank against the thrust bearing, not allowing it to turn freely
Thanks for the advice chris. Wd followed your instructions and began to thoroughly clean the upper female splines thoroughly. We used a shotgun cleaning brush to break apart the old grease that was caked up on the splines where the driveshaft connects to bottom of the engine. Attached a 3’ aluminum extension to an air chuck and used compressed air to inject gun barrel cleaner then acetone then more scrubbing with brass wire brush. Then more compressed air then more cleaner and scrubbing with brush. After 4 or 5 attempts and repeated cleaning we were able to get the shaft to slide right in no problem. Took her out yesterday and everything operates just fine. Glad that is over with.
