Yamaha Shift Shaft (Again)

[Monkey Butler]

Loking forward to next season so I decided to tackle the shift shaft on my '86 V6 Yammie before the snow flies. I've received help here before on this subject but looks but it looks like I could be facing a worst case scenario. I hate to be a nuisance but hopefully lots of pictures will make uo for it...

Here is an overall shot with some labels pointing to the areas I'll be talking about...



Here is a closeup of the area designated "See Next Photo.



This is the right rear where the block meets the intermidiate spacer. There is a chunk of the spacer missing. I think it was wedged off by the pressure generated by the corrosion that filled the bolt hole as I tried to remove the bolt. You can see the corrsion as a white/brown layer between the shank of the bolt and spacer itself. You can tell that I used plenty of heat.

This next photo shows where I tried the "drill holes into side of spacer to sever long bolts" method.



I have two broken bolts on this side and one on the other side. Because the lower cowl is in the way I the closest I could get to the top of the spacer still leaves almost 1-1/2" of bolt shank in the spacer. Using a cheap engine lift didn't budge it. I could trailer it to a friends shop where there is an overhead hoist that could lift the entire boat but I have my doubts that even that would work.

So that leaves option two, which Big Shrimpin described but I'm having a hard time visualizing...



Method two invlves taking a sawzall to the spacer which is likely my next step. I'm guessing at the red cut line shown above asonce again the lower cowling prevents going any higher. I having a hard time figuring out how to proceed around the front of the spacer where that steering arm and pivot are. Big Shrimpin???

Also, at one point it was brought up that it might be possible to replace the shift shaft withou powerhead removal on some Yamahas by removing the reed block. Here is a closeup of the area...



I don't think it's possible on this motor, a 1986 V6 Special (220HP). Here is another shot...



The head of the shift rod is buried right underneath the crackcase with less than a inch of space above it. Removing the reed block won't help.

And to all of you Veterans out there, Thank You for all that you have done for this country.