Impeller replacement

[Tim williams]

Hi, I have a 1997 Merc 4hp extra-long shaft 2 stroke. I replaced the impeller and now it seems like the lower unit is stuck in gear and there's not a lot of travel in the shift linkage. I'm pretty sure it was in reverse when I took it apart. I had it in reverse when I put the lower unit back on. What did I do wrong, what do I need to do now?
Thanks.

 

[Tim williams]

It is a tiller with side shift btw.

 

[ThomW]

Separate the lower and try again. Once separated, you can make sure the lower is in gear, and that the shifter is in the gear to match. Then be careful when you put it back together to not bump anything that might knock the lower out of gear.

 

[Scott Danforth]

use a bungee chord to hold the prop against the shift pawl so it doesnt come out of forward when you bolt them together

 

[Tim williams]

Thanks, I got it to work. It had jumped into forward gear somehow and that's what was messing up my linkage. It was in reverse when I took it apart.