Checking out a lower unit

[LEE MICHNAL]

Hi,
I am new here, hope I can get some advice on checking out a lower unit, if I cannot start the engine and am going to part it out. Is there a way that I
Can manually check out the lower unit by putting it in. Neutral , forward and rev. And turning it by hand will that indicate if the lower unit is good or bad
Or is there a specific way to do it??????

 

[flyingscott]

You may be able to feel a bad bearing or broken gear teeth. Draining the lower unit can also show broken gears or water intrusion, look for milky fluid or metal shavings. But you will never put enough pressure on the lower to show any major problems by hand. A bad clutch dog or worn gears will not show up by just turning the shaft.