Prop won't spin by hand when in upper unit....

[Keithtalik]

I have a 2011 Yamaha 50 outboard. I had to drop the lower unit to change out the water pump because my impeller, etc. was shot. Everything seems to work fine on the lower unit. Prop spins freely when lower unit is detached. When I insert the lower unit into the upper unit, the prop will no longer spin by hand... I started the motor briefly and the prop seems to spin fine.. I feel like something isn't right here. Any idea why I can't hand spin the prop now that it's put back together...?

 

[fhhuber]

did it go into gear? If its not in neutral you're working against the engine.

Its easy enough to mess up the linkage when putting the lower end back on, so neutral position on the control is not neutral on the lower end gears.

 

[Keithtalik]

It did go into gear when I ran the motor briefly.
All I did was take off the lower unit, changed the impeller & housing, then put the lower unit back on. Linkage should have never changed right...?
If the linkage is off then how do I fix that?

 

[99yam40]

take the lower back off and put lower unit and the controls in neutral , then install low again

 

[Keithtalik]

This might be a stupid question but how do I put the lower unit in neutral when it's taken off the motor...?

 

[robert graham]

You move the shifter shaft by hand( pliers with a rag to protect splines) while rotating prop shaft by hand until neutral is found.

 

[Keithtalik]

Fixed! Exactly how u described. Thank u

 

[GoProPeter]

You move the shifter shaft by hand( pliers with a rag to protect splines) while rotating prop shaft by hand until neutral is found.

Would this fix the knocking noise wile the engine is on and its in gear? In neutral everything is fine but when I put it in gear I hear a knocking from lower unit.
Thank you

 

[99yam40]

depends on what the knocking noise is coming from.

If it is the clutch dog is hitting the gears while in neutral, then it might if adjusting it moves them apart.

If someone tried to force the shift into reverse while the motor was not running and the dogs were not lined up then you may have a twisted shaft and other bent parts