Off with its head !

[wedgie]

Found this when I pulled the head off of a ’60 fisherman today 🙁 .

I would really like to save both the shift handle and the lever, but I know if I try to drill it out freehand I’ll destroy both. I imagine the only way is to find a drill press big enough to fit the whole exhaust housing and then get everything squared up. If I cant save both I guess the best thing to do would be sacrifice the lever.

Has anyone ever done this successfully ? I’d like to hear how ❓ Thanks

[lotec]

I’ve done that job so many times, and on salty boys just like yours. There’s no easy way to go if you want to remove it, you need to drill out the broken screw. The alternative is to just leave it alone, but I’ll venture a guess your o-ring inside the shift hole is probably long gone and you are leaking water and exhaust out by the handle…

To try and get it off you’ll need to lock off the shift handle in the neutral (straight up) position so it won’t move – vice grips or squeeze clamps (or a combo of the two) can work. I’ve even seen people use an old frozen shift cable cut to the right length and clamped to the carry handle in front. Then carefully dimple the center of the broken screw to help keep the drill from walking – use a clicker-punch or a Dremel, a regular hammer & punch may split and destroy the bell crank. (Not to say that the pressure of drilling may not break the bell crank anyway….) Start with a small drill, lots of oil and work your way up until it is fully drilled out.

Unfortunately the 376922 bell crank is now obsolete – even before it was obsolete it was horrendously expensive. I’ve cut the shifter apart on parts motors to get that bell crank off intact, they are harder to find than the shift handle.

[wedgie]

Thanks Art. I’m thinking an end mill on the end of the broken screw to square it up first before I try dimple the center . I’ll see if I can get into the metal shop at work some day next week. I see the lever is available for around $25 USD. I do have a spare lever in my parts bin, but not a shift handle.

[outboard315]

I would say drill out the screw until you can slide arm off the shaft then pull it out and put it in a drill press. You may be able to use a dremmel to cut it out, I use a tile bit and it cuts bolts like butter, doesn’t drill very well but moves side to side.

[chris-p]

Wedgie,

Don’t worry about either if you damage them. You have helped me a couple times! Anything you break Ill send off for you! I know for sure I have the bell cranks. Im fairly positive I should have the handles but ill check.

I know I have used a left hand drill bit, and once I started that it backed out, with the aid of plenty PB Blaster. Of course, I don’t work on salties!

[Mumbles]

The problem here is the threads are on the bottom making it tricky to drill out. On salty motors, like yours, they are usually cracked to so I don’t fool around and melt them off with the torch. If you get stuck, I do have some NOS ones here on the shelf.

For this broken ’60 Fisherman shift lever which I stepped on, :oops:, I pinned and epoxied a piece of aluminum tubing inside it instead of getting it welded. So far, it seems to work.

If we ever get a dumb and dumber thread going, I’ll explain how I broke it! ☺

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[wedgie]

Thanks Chris, Thanks Mumbles !

Yeah the threads are in the bottom making it really hard to see to aim the drill right down the middle of the screw. I had considered trying to weld to the end of the screw, but it’s a pretty small area, and wouldn’t probably be strong enough to hold.

I had a welder at work fix a cracked bell crank once, and it worked fine. unfortunately she took a job up island and I haven’t seen her since.

I do have a spare bell crank here, so I will do my best to save the shift lever.

I have a spare ’60 shifter here if anyone needs one in the future.

Thanks for all the kind offers

[fleetwin]

Boy, I don’t think I could ever be successful drilling out that tiny screw in that delicate aluminum bellcrank on a shaft that just wants to rotate out of the way. Fortunately, I have a few extra bellcranks, so I’m sure I would just end up splitting that one apart to save the shift handle, then replacing the bellcrank.

[wedgie]

quote fleetwin:

Boy, I don’t think I could ever be successful drilling out that tiny screw in that delicate aluminum bellcrank on a shaft that just wants to rotate out of the way. Fortunately, I have a few extra bellcranks, so I’m sure I would just end up splitting that one apart to save the shift handle, then replacing the bellcrank.

I think that’s the safest bet here . I would likely destroy both the bell crank and the shift lever trying to drill it out. I know an experienced machinist could do it probably by making some sort of drill guide . I lack the skill and equipment. 😥 What would you use to split it ?

[kerry]

I have found a pencil grinder (air) or Dremel tool (electric) with a small end mill, usually 1/8", to be very valuable. Larger broken bolts, I mill a slot for a screwdriver. That fails, I mill flat for the center punch, or plunge a little for the drill bit. Works great to add that little bit of clearance you need. Oblongs a hole that was drilled a little off because the bit wandered a smidge. Grinds new flats on rounded nuts or bolt heads (my favorite) Many other possible uses that fate hasn’t shown me yet. Would probably work to grind away enough to split it.

If you have too many, AND not enough, you're a collector.

[Author]

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