lower unit compatibility

[oil driver]

Can someone please tell me if the lower unit from a 1998 115 Ficht will bolt up to a 1996 115 oceanpro? Thanks. A 16 yr old kid asked me, and I don't know. Both are 25" shafts.

 

[kevinj]

Can someone please tell me if the lower unit from a 1998 115 Ficht will bolt up to a 1996 115 oceanpro? Thanks. A 16 yr old kid asked me, and I don't know. Both are 25" shafts.

Very likely if they are both 60 degree engines, but you will have to transfer the shift rod from the OceanPro over to the FICHT lower unit. I have a '96 Intruder 150 and when I bought it the shifting wasn't right. After much investigating I found the LU had been swapped from a FICHT engine, which used a shift rod that was 1/2" longer than the Intruder.

When that rod is moved over it's best to get new O-rings for the shift rod housing. Also, be 100% certain to set the shift rod height correctly because there is a specific procedure for setting the height.

 

[Miles2000]

SWAG but I'd say yes, it'll bolt up. Both of those are the 60 degree V4, same block family. The aftermarket guys sell one gearcase for 75/90/100/115 covering 95 through 2006 and Ficht is right there in the fitment, so the flange and the bolt pattern are the same...

Bolting up isn't the whole story though...

Both being 25 inch shafts takes care of the big one, driveshaft length. I'd still count the splines before you hand over money, should be 20 on the driveshaft and 13 on the prop shaft on these...

Water pickups next. The Ocean Pro case has the low intakes, the plain case doesn't. If that kid runs skinny water or has the motor on a jack plate, he'll notice...

Then the shift rod. Some of these are two piece with a coupler up under the powerhead, some are one piece. If the two don't match you're either swapping the rod or pulling the powerhead, and that's the part that turns a Saturday job into a weekend...

And the ratio is stamped on the side of the case. Check both before it goes on. I got burned on that once, bolted a case on that fit like it was born there and the motor would not swing the prop it already had. Fit perfect, ratio was different. Took me a while to figure out why it felt so wrong...

What I'd really do is pull the model numbers off both motors and look up the complete gearcase assembly on the parts diagrams. If the 98 number supersedes to the same one as the 96, you're done, no guessing at all...

I'm not a mechanic, just a guy who's swapped a few of these in the driveway...

Is the 96 running now or is it locked up solid? And do you have the model number off the Ficht...

Thanks