Squid Row

F225, 2003 Yamaha Four stroke

Dropped the lower unit to replace the impeller, no problems everything came apart and went back together easily

But I can not get the lower unit into the engine. I am pretty sure the top spline just wont line up but after nearly two hours of sweating, cursing, bleeding, cursing some more I finally gave up

What did I do wrong? I have had this lower unit off three times and never an issue getting it back together.

Any tips before I go crawling to a mechanic and beg them to work me in? (All have a four week wait since they were all shut down by the state due to covid)

Pursuit1

How close to being seated does it get.

101grunts

Put it in gear and spin the prop to align the spline,that is what i usually do.

Squid Row

about two inches maybe

Texas 17

You can rotate the drive shaft with vice grips. I had to do this to get my lower units to engage the last time I dropped them. One motor I got it on the first adjustment, the second took three tries.

fireisland1

tilt the engine down straight . then send it straight up.

cdp

x2. Might be able to do it by hand.

I would not put the motor in gear. Just rotate the shaft slightly by hand.

wdlfbio

Hit it harder...

G400

Make sure the shift rod is lined up.
put gear case and shifter lever into forward gear. Rotate prop to help drive shaft splines line up.
Have someone jiggle the shift lever while you push up the lower unit, this helps the shift shaft splines line up