Shift Lever

[necks]

retiredoz, I got on Marineengine.com, I can’t seem to find the page you are talking about, where the 1957 shift shaft is all by itself, and changes are different starting 1958. I thought all these gearcases were interchangeable from early 50’s – middle 60’s, along with shift shafts, driveshafts, couplers, etc, shows you what I know. That sure sounds like that has to be the culprit. Thanks for the help. Getting late, maybe have better luck tomorrow.

[retiredoz]

On second look, marineengine lists the same lower shift rod for up to and including ’57 (25,30hp), the change starts ’58. It may just be a superceding part #, but I suspect there’s something different. Maybe (only) Frank will know ?
And yes, I’m pretty sure the gearcases interchange, but not necessarily the innards..

[fleetwin]

Again, the original shift lever lined up and worked fine! Please don’t rip that gearcase apart for nothing. You have said that the two shift levers are identical, I would check them again. If indeed the levers are the same, there has to be a fairly simple solution to this problem.

[chris-p]

quote fleetwin:

Again, the original shift lever lined up and worked fine! Please don’t rip that gearcase apart for nothing. You have said that the two shift levers are identical, I would check them again. If indeed the levers are the same, there has to be a fairly simple solution to this problem.

That s the problem, it did not line up fine. It was jerry rigged to work.

[fleetwin]

OK, I understand now, original shift handle was buggered up to work. Does the gearcase look original? If so, is the model number for a long shaft RDL, or short shaft RD? You mention having another RD, could you pull the gearcase off and measure compare the shift rod heights between the two units when pushed down completely into reverse gear? Again, I just don’t want you to rip that gearcase down if you don’t have to. Someone may have messed with the upper shift rod or bellcrank as well.

[retiredoz]

I’ll bet Frank picked it – it’s an upper/lower shift shaft mismatch.

[necks]

Gentlemen, How do you tell by the Model number, if its a short shaft, or a long shaft, by the serial number? The gearcase appears to be original, but they all look the same to me. I’ve got a older 30 hp Evinrude for parts, most of that motor appears to be the same as my RD-19. I will pull the lower unit off the RD-19 tomorrow, and check my dimensions, compared to RDE-19. I will let you know tomorrow what I found out.

[retiredoz]

Seems to me your motor should have RDL in the model # if it were a longshaft to begin with..

And I’ll bet the gearcase off the 30-hp will fit better.

[1946zephyr]

My bet is, the gearcase is in reverse. Loosen things up there and take a small screwdiver and pry up the threaded hole, to where it lines up with the slot. Then you can put your bolt in there. That set up, is how you make the fine adjustments to your shift linkage

[necks]

retiredoz, The letter L behind the Model number makes sense. If I remember write Mercury runs the numbers the same.
fleetwin, Removed lower unit on RD-19, measured shift rod was 1/8" longer. Mounted lower unit on RDE-19, and shifter arm lined right up. 1/4-20 lined right up. Shifter arm worked fine, along with gearcase, everything back to normal.
I thought I read something about 1958, their was a change in the shift rods, for the Johnson Outboard. Would be nice to find out what changes were made, and models effected, Service Updates, or Bulletin .I’ve got a parts motor, Model 25920 Evinrude Big Twin 25hp, wondering if that lower shift rod would work. My microfishe starts at 1957-Up, this motor is older 1956?.
This gearcase looks identical to the RD-19, except for shorter shift rod, so what I understand, this lower unit is 1958 or newer.
I wonder what else doesn’t line up from 1958-UP?. Thanks, Gene.

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