big trouble with 1998 Johnson 40 hp lower unit Need Opinions

[sneek216]

Long story short. Thought I stripped out the lower unit but after removing it i see that the splines on the shaft where it goes into the crank shaft are stripped out . Does this mean the crankshafts splines are shot or is the drive shaft made of a softer steel and I just need a new shaft. I can email pics of the shaft if needed. How much am I looking at to get this fixed if i do it myself and what would a shop charge .

[boats.net]

Depending on the lenght the drive shaft is roughly $450. You need to inspect the crankshaft splines, if they look ok then you maybe lucky. You will need to consult your local repair shop for an estimate. It takes alot to strip those splines, you should find out why.