In over my head. Mercury stuck in forward??

[Mercbass]

Thanks in advance for your help. I am a tinkerer not a real mechanic and I am stumped. Working on my 2003 Mercury 40ELH. The prop shaft was bent so I replaced it along with the seals and o ring. When I reinstall it with the bearing carrier it is stuck in forward gear. I have tried installining it with the shifter in nuetral and forward but it is still in forward. The shifter will still shift but the prop shaft never leaves forward. I hope I am just overlooking something minor but I would appreciate any help or advice that I can get.

 

[racerone]

Put control in neutral.-----Put lower unit in neutral.-----Assemble.

 

[Mercbass]

Thanks racerone. I didnt pull the lower unit I just removed the bearing carrier and prop shaft. Are you saying go ahead and drop the lower unit, then install bearing carrier?

 

[racerone]

Now the details come out as to what you did.------Is the shift pin in place in front of propshaft ??-

 

[Mercbass]

Is the shift pin in place in front of propshaft ??-

Now the details come out as to what you did.------Is the shift pin in place in front of propshaft ??-

If that is the spring loaded pin in the very front of the prop shaft then yes sir it is and it seems to work fine and slide the clutch dog untill I put it back in the LU case.

 

[racerone]

All I can say from here is that something is wrong.-----Revisit your work.-----Should be simple to figure out.