If you have ZERO separation, you may still have a locking nut/bolt holding you back. I am not familiar with that size engine but on smaller engines you can have 2 nuts on either side of the housing and may have another at the front of the housing and may have a SCREW hidden up under the trim tab requiring removal of the TT and looking up under the AV plate in the hole covered by the TT. Otherwise your drive shaft is stuck in the bottom of the crankshaft.
Also, if like smaller engines, ensure that your shift rod at the front of the LU housing (Inside) separates without pulling up on the splined shaft that is part of the LU. That shaft is stuck in your shifter cam and if you pull it out while separating, you have to pull the whole LU gear train to put the shifter cam back in position so that the shaft can be reseated.....tricky as there isn't much room to work.
