If the motor isn't running, and the control is in the neutral position, should you be able to turn the prop by hand without feeling any resistance from the motor?
Ok...now that I have that answer, what is my next step if I'm not able to freely turn the prop in neutral? I'm assuming I'm going to have to drop the lower unit. But is there anything else I can do or check before that?
Assuming your motor is cabled, I would disconnect the cables and try shifting into the three positions and see if it goes into neutral that way. If it does, cable adjustments are more likely your problem. Rick.
Alright, I found the shift problem. The bolt that connects the shift rod to the control cables had come loose and fell out. It was lying on the bottom of the motor housing. The fun part was trying to put it back together. Its almost impossible to get to. But after about 45 min of cussin' I finally got it to connect and tightened up.
