'03 DF25 4-stroke - Lower unit won't separate

[CookieBuddy]

First, I'm a real rookie when it comes to outboards. Can handle most of the DIY maintenance on tractors, vehicles, motorcycles but have no experience with outboards.

With that said, I'm trying to follow my manual on replacing the impeller on my Suzuki DF25 3 cyl 4-stroke. I've got the shift rod uncoupled and removed the six bolts holding the lower unit to the drive shaft housing. But the blasted thing just doesn't want to come loose. I can see the gap between the two pieces moving just a bit when I add some side force to it, but - seeing as how I've never done this before - I'm a little reluctant to just "gorillatize" it.

On reassembly, the manual says to put a light coating of silicone around the lip. Could that be what's holding it (from the last time it was reassembled)?

Do I just need to apply more force? Thoughts, suggestions will be most appreciated.

Thanks, all ..

Regards,
John

[boats.net]

Unfortunately sometimes they can be very difficult removing. If you have removed the 6 lower unit bolts and the shift shaft coupler, then it should drop.

[briscoe]

Did you remove the bolt that holds the little fin. Don't know the name but it helps keep the motor tracking straight, J guess.

[boats.net]

Its called the trim tab, however the bolt should not effect the lower unit dropping. You can remove it and try again, would not hurt.

[CookieBuddy]

Thanks, Boats & Briscoe ..

The trim tab bolt is at the rear of the cavitation plate, well aft of the drive shaft housing so I don't think that's an issue. (Plus, the manual doesn't show it being removed to drop the gear case.)

I suspect that the real problem is that it's been so long since the gear case was dropped that the drive shaft splines are really stuck in place. I may just have to go through some temperature changes (cooler weather) before it comes loose. Plus wiggle it some every day. I bet - when it goes back together - there's some moisture-resistant grease on the spline end of that @#$^ drive shaft!

Thanks again ..

John

[WEDOCQ]

CB,
My engine is much bigger, but after you remove the trim tab, there is usually one more hidden bolt up there that needs to be removed. maybe get a flash light and shine it up there after you remove the tab.
-Shawn

[CookieBuddy]

Recap: I needed to replace the impeller and so - per the manual - had disconnected the shift rod and removed the six bolts holding the gearcase to the drive shaft housing. Gearcase should have then come off - but wouldn't.

Solution: I shot some PB Blaster into the crack where the two units join .. Idea here was to loosen up alignment dowels that might be stuck. I then started tapping a plastic toilet shim as a wedge around that crack.

Once I could see daylight, I gently tapped a thin-bladed screwdriver around the whole thing until it finally let go. No prying; just lightly tapping straight in. Luckily, I'd gotten some good advice on leaving a couple of bolts loosely in place to catch it when it dropped. Turns out that the shaft was lubed well enough that it shouldn't have been the problem. It likely was the dowels that kept it stuck.

Here's the rascal I was trying to get to. If you're not sure what you're seeing, it's a toothless impeller. (And one blade chunk found its way into the water tube.) Don't let this happen to you! It's an easy and inexpensive (compared to the consequences) service item.

John

[JTNail]

Thank you sharing your self-solved problem!