Help needed: merCruiser 898 won’t go into gear.

[ClaytonV]

Recently on our merCruiser 898 we took the lower unit off in order to replace the impeller and it’s housing we were able to get it back on but now it creates a clicking noise when the propeller is spinning. And it no longer stays in forward gear, unless we mess with the shift shaft by hand then we can get it to stay in forward. We were able to get it to run, as can be seen in the video, but when it would spin it would create the clacking noise. We have taken it off and put it back on multiple times making sure the splines were aligned each time, but it still will not lock into forward gear unless we move the shift shaft ourselves. Any input on the matter would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

[Pruno]

Check out the videos in post 2 here.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

When you mate the two halves of the drive back together, you have to have the lower half in forward gear the whole time. To do that, you rotate the splined shift shaft on the lower half CW while rotating the prop by hand CCW until it locks. You keep pressure on the prop to keep in forward either by hand or some use a bungee cord to hold pressure on it. While the lower is in forward the shift shaft of the upper half will be straight. You also have to have the drive in forward, and helm shifter in forward when you bolt the drive back on the bellhousing.