Does this rod move up and down when you move the shifter FNR?
The little spring has nothing to do with shifting and is a minor detail anyway.
I suspect your guy didn’t even diagnose where the problem lies (??)
The rod does not move up and down when moving the shifter between the FNR positions.
No, the seller didn’t diagnose. He was confident it ran based on his father in law using it 5 or so years prior.
Either did the mechanic at the marina. He said that since the prop moves in all 3 positions FNR he didn’t even want to open it up.