1997 mercury 115 water pump

[Johnson110]

Hi I am doing the water pump on this motor , last time it was done was appox 3 years ago i did the job. The pump still looks very good i am changing it any way, I know that there is a plastic shift coupler that my memory serves me, when I pulled the unit off I do not see it on the lower unit or up inside the motor which is strange. the motor serial # og485647 1997 115 explto that is what is stamped on motor tag, does this year motor use that plastic shift coupler?

 

[Johnson110]

After looking at videos of the water pump being done on mercury 115 hp engines I see that there are two types of shifter rods, a really short one and a long one this model has a longer shift rod with splines on it. before removing lower unit off I shifted engine in forward gear so I could turn flywheel to line up driveshaft to flywheel. Ok so being it is a longer shift rod does it mate with housing by just bolting it up after you get the driveshaft and the flywheel to align? Thanks for any replies