shift shaft seal or bushing?

[cyberfighter]

Just put together a top and lower unit yesterday from you.

All went well except when it came time to install the shift shaft in it's hole (top section), I found it was real lose in there, like it's missing a bushing or seal.
The hole is about 1 inch in diameter but the shift shaft is only half of that, if not smaller.

Just by looking at it I'm thinking something is wrong as water would have no problem getting in there, but then, I went to the manual, section 6a3r3 page 12 item 19 seems like whats missing, but lower down on page 26, it's saying bushing (a) *not used on later models.
Is mine a later model? It's a '89

Still don't think it's a good ideal to have that much loose so water can get in if it's not needed, can someone help me out, I'm confused

[Tech Support]

SE106 Shift shaft bushing

It actually is completely normal for that bushing to be missing. When we designed the unit, we actually did not use a bushing there, for the reason that it wasn't needed. There will be a small amount of play on the shaft until the drive is assembled into the upper, thus locking it into place.

As for the water being around the shift shaft, there will be water there under normal opperating conditions.

TECH SUPPORT

[cyberfighter]

Thanks a bunch tech!:)
So far, I'm liking what I see!