2002 Mercury 90 shifting issue

Two weekends ago, I took the boat out for the first time of the year. During the trip, I sucked up sand and then got an alarm at about 3k rpm on the way back to the ramp.

Today I took the lower unit off and replaced the impeller, flushed etc.. After putting everything all back together, I put it on the muffs and it was peeing well, however, I noticed the prop spinning as if in gear. I know a little spin is normal, but this was not slow. So I disconnected the muffs and tried to spin the prop by hand, but it was in gear while the shifter was in neutral. Took the lower back off and tried getting the lower into neutral with no avail.

Has anyone had this problem?

My motor is a 2002 Mercury 90 elpto. The shift is a gear with splines (like a crank shaft).

Sounds like something got misaligned when you put the
lower back on...or maybe the shift lever was moved while
the lower was off?

when you turn a mercury lower unit while its off the motor it will go into forward gear. you need to drop the lower unit , put the shifter in forward and the lower unit in forward and the put it back together

bilgerat said:

when you turn a mercury lower unit while its off the motor it will go into forward gear. you need to drop the lower unit , put the shifter in forward and the lower unit in forward and the put it back together

Click to expand...

...and Bob's yer uncle!

When I took the lower off, I had it in forward and then in forward when I put it back on.

Do you suggest WOT? Or just in gear?