1997 Evinrude 50 HP SPL. I have removed all the bolts holding the lower rnd to the engine, it seems to be hanging up on the shify shaft, and I can't find a way to drop the unit. It drops down about 3/8". HELP!!!

should be 3 or 4 bolts up under the engine head and then slide it all off the drive shaft

Get the factory service manual it will explain in detail the procedure, however a quick run down. Remove kick down cable, remove any associated hardware attached to tranny, Disconnect the battery, jack the car up onto jack stands, remove shifter cable, remove lower control arms, remove half shafts, remove bolts holding torque converter to engine, remove bolts holding tranny to engine, remove tranny mounts, lower transmission onto tranny jack and pull away from vehicle.

The small bolt that holds the shift rod in place has to be removed so the lower unit can be released. Nothing has to be removed from the shift linkage..just remove the shift rod bolt. The lower unit should be ready to be removed.

Under Lower Carburetor is a Bolt Going Through The Shift Rod Remove This Bolt--Then Undo All Bolts Holding The Lower Unit--The Lower Unit will Then Come Out Don't Turn The Shift Shaft As It Is Threaded And Will Change The Set Length,If You Do Have To Remove It Then Crew It Fully In Counting The No Of Turns So That You Can Set It Back To The Original Position
Good Luck

Impeller? or Propeller? Propeller is just a nut with a carter key holding it on.

Impeller, or water pump? It isnt too bad. You have to take the lower uint off. There is a roll pin in the linkage going to the forward/reverse mechanizm. Then take out the bolts and drop it down. It has a shaft that comes with it out of the engine. Then the water pump is bolted on that shaft. Check the seals under the pump and the oil in the gearbox for water. Mine was bad and pumped water into the gearbox and oil up and out. Then froze and busted.

Look on the side, of the lower end, (dirveshaft housing) for a small cover, with usually two screws holding it on. Then underneath the cover there is a fitting that connects the linkage. Put a mark with a magic marker on the linkage rod to remember where they line up. Put the motor in neuteral, (not running) and loosen the fitting, it should all seperate after that.

Place front end on jacks or ramps. I belive there is a lower plastic guard that protects the serpintine belt from water splash ( I know the 96's did not have it but uncertain about 1997, is so remove it) Drain radiator/cooling system. The serpintine belt will have to be removed, you'll need to use a box end wrend on the tensioner to remove pressure from belt, it will fight you but she will go. Next remove bolts that hold pulley on to water pump shaft (I believe there are three, all 10MM) next remove all of the bolts that hold the water pump on, I belive there are either 5 or 6, either 8 or 10MM. Clean surface where pump applies to, be certain to use new o-ring, should be with water pump. Reassemble in reverse, install new serpentine belt and use proper 50/50 mix of radiator fluid and water. Start engine, let it come to heat and check for leaks, keep eye on temp gage to be certain things are ok.

I hope this may have assisted you,
Tom

The alternator is removed from the bottom of the vehicle. place the vehicle on jackstands positioned on the body, so the suspension hangs (you'll need this extra clearance to get the alternator past the axle shaft). 1). Disconnect the battery 2.) remove the upper mounting bolt (12mm) 3.) remove the terminal nut from the white wire. (10mm) 4.) Disconnect the 4pin connector 5.) From under the vehicle remove the lower mounting through bolt nut and through bolt (14mm) 6.) Remove the alternator from the lower mount and position the alternator to the side of the lower mount. 7.) remove the two lower mount bolts (14mm) and remove the lower mount asy. 8.) remove the alternator down the axle and out below the wheelwell. its going to be a tight fit so you'll have to turn the alternator at just the right position to get it out.

Remove air intake hoses to throttle body, remove battery tray, remove washer bottle attached to battery tray, remove clutch slave cylinder and compensator from the top of the tranny. Remove tranny gearchange control cables and hang up to one side.
Jack car up as high as you can and remove the wheels. DRAIN the gearbox (24mm not on bottom side).
Now go under the car and remove the starter motor, remove the exhaust front pipe (can unbolt from front CATs and let hang down), remove frame member and remove the plastic covers from the passenger side wheel well to get to the frame member. Remove the lower control arm bolts on both sides and let the control arms hang down. Disconnects both sway bars at the wheel hubs to allow the drive shafts to be pulled outwards. ease the drive shaft on passenger side out with pry bar and have someone pull on the hub to pop the drive shaft out. On the drivers side, you have to first remove the intermediate bracket on the block and then do the same thing with the drive shaft to pull it out.
Support the tranny with a jack.Remove the four bolts holding the tranny support bracket (covered with four grommets in passenger wheel well). Remove the three bolts from the top of the tranny and remove the bracket.

Now work your way around the tranny and remove the bolts holding it to the engine (there is a 10mm phillips screw/bolt holding a dirt sheild in place under the rear of the tranny, the other bolts are more obvious).

Tranny is now ready to be lowered to the floor using the floor jack.

Installation is the reverse of the above. Good Luck.

There are 3 small bolts across the top where the front defrost grill is. 2 large bolts directly under the headlight switch and another big bolt lower right hand corner of the glovebox area.