Reply To: Can’t Get Lower To Work After Replacing Impeller on Merc 700

[Don]

Not much help here, but I always though the merc shift rod set up made it much easier to remove/install the gearcase compared to most OMCs, no shift rod connector/connection to mess around with during installation…
That being said, that shift rod spline makes it look like the upper/lower shift rod connection could line up and many different ways…I would have thought the splines would have one larger spline (or something like that ) to ensure the upper and lower lined up correctly…
In any event, I always thought the merc gearcases were installed with the control/upper shift lever and gearcase in forward gear. Perhaps not…I’m not sure which way to rotate that shift rod in order to put the gearcase in forward gear so you will have to experiment…The driveshaft should be rotated clockwise when looking down on it from on top of the d/s splines. The prop shaft should rotate clockwise when looking at it from behind the gearcase when in forward gear…So, figure out which way you have to rotate that splined shift rod in order to get the gearcase in forward gear…Now put the remote control in forward gear. The upper/lower shift rod splines should now be lined up (both in forward gear) so that you can reinstall the gearcase…I’m not sure what that “clutch dog” looking collar is that surrounds the shift rod, is it splined in place on the shift rod?
I’m assuming you did not mess with the shift rod or have it apart/out of the gearcase when doing the water pump job…
Hopefully, a Merc guy will get involved with this thread soon..