Lower not going together smoothly

[buckfeverbob]

Hello all.
I changed the water pump last night in my '06 2 stroke 50 Yamaha with no problems. Wasn't pumping water after sitting for the winter. However when I went to put it back together, I had some issues. It seems that I couldn't get the lower unit out of gear in to neutral. I can't get the prop to free wheel. So I started screwing with the shift linkage, turning it both ways and can't get the prop to free spin no matter where the splines are sitting. So I am afraid that I screwed something up and am asking for some advice. I put it all back together the way it is and the prop spun when i turned the motor over with the shift lever in neutral and along the whole range of the throttle. Hopefully this is something simple. I did drain the lower unit oil and worked on it dry, but it is full and the same problems are there. Gave up on it last night and thought that a fresh start might help. Any ideas??

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Lower not going together smoothly

ok, move your shift lever to the N position, now you have to either use the tool or a suitable 12pt 1/4 drive 12pt socket and rotate the lower unit shift shaft to the N position.
rotate the lower unit drive shaft clockwise and observe the propshaft, if the prop shaft rotates clockwise when the drive shaft is rotated clockwise its in fwd.
if its in fwd rotate the shift shaftclockwise one click.
you will feel the detent.