Evinrude Etec 150 HP Gearcase Assembly Question

[DrFlash]

I'm installing a new gearcase on my '07 Evinrude outboard. I'll summarize below what I've done and what I need to do:

What I've done

I've installed the upper driveshaft (UDS) into the location in the lower motor unit. I used a rubber mallet to drop the UDS into the driveshaft retainer. I've installed everything else, but the driveshaft is what concerns me here.

I go to install the upper driveshaft through the midsection to connect with the (I forgot what it connects to...flywheel?). I had to rotate the driveshaft a little for it to match up with the other spines in the powerhead. I could feel the UDS slide up higher once I did that. However, I can also hear the top of the UDS hitting metal where it connects to the powerhead section of the outboard and yet there is still about an inch to go before the bolts that connect the lower motor unit to the midsection are tight.

My gut tells me that I didn't drop the UDS down enough into the gearcase. However, I'm concerned that if I tightens the bolts, the UDS will drop down too far, bend the driveshaft roll pin, and then damage the new gearcase. I've tightened the bolts a little and I can continue to tighten the gearcase to the midsection, but I don't want to damage anything.

What are your thoughts?

 

[stingray11]

You should be able to lift the lower unit the whole way up against the midsection if you can't something isn't lining up right unless etex are different than all other Outboards which I doubt. But I will say I have installed hundreds of lower units but never worked on an E-Tec. The splined end of the drive shaft goes into the bottom of the crankshaft so once you have it up there if it doesn't go the whole way up you can turn the flywheel slowly while you lift up to get the splines to mesh properly to the hole in the crankshaft which can be tricky to hit sometimes. And you not only have to line up the drive shaft but the shift rod and the water tube must all be lined up together as you go up

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