2000 5hp Lower unit removal

Hello, I'm trying to replace the water pump on my 2000 5hp Mercury. Serial Number: 0D993982

I get the two screws off at the bottom it slides down about 1 inch. and stops! Now here's where the weird part comes in.

The shirt rod does go all the way up the back of the motor it stops about half way and then theirs a lever in the middle of the shaft. Its like its being held up on the drive shaft. I've looked at the diagrams every where but the middle part of the whole motor is totally different. The rest like crankcase, lower unit, heads, carb. etc are all the same in the rest of the diagrams. Someone said theirs two screws at the top of the motor but theirs NOTHING. I'll post photos. Help??

Thanks

Re: 2000 5hp Lower unit removal

DjKoKo;

There should be a plug (item 10) in this link, which you remove:

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/4695_150.cfm

and there is a clamp bolt which you loosen to separate the two parts of the shift rod, seen here (item 12):

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/547_70.cfm

The LU should then drop out.

Gerry