Mercury 90 CT Lower Unit Installation

[06 SB]

I thought I was a decent mechanic but this thing is kicking my butt!

SN 3B027497 Mercury 90CT on my pontoon. I am wrapping up doing its 300 hour maintenance and down to installing the lower unit. Somehow the lower unit got put into gear. I think forward. I tried putting it back in neutral but the shift shaft just will not move enough. I tried putting the motor into forward then installing it but the motor will neither start (I understand it should not but tried) or go back into neutral via the shifter.

How do I get the LU back into neutral and how much pressure on the shift shaft should I apply? I have been gentle with it so far.

Finally I know I purchased a Platinum plan with this motor. When does it run out?

[alli ss]

Turn the prop shaft as you shift it

[EuropeanAM]

4/23/2029 (but it doesn't cover these maintenance items).

Try turning the shift shaft COUNTER-CLOCKWISE until it clicks, and the prop-shaft free-wheels.

I find it helpful to have someone that can move the shifter back and forth about 1" while you are installing gearcase (once it's up, check to make sure it achieves NEUTRAL, Forward AND Reverse). KEEP MOVING THE PROP WHEN THEY SHIFT as trying to shift a stationary gearcase can damage the shift linkages/components.

[06 SB]

4/23/2029 (but it doesn't cover these maintenance items).

Try turning the shift shaft COUNTER-CLOCKWISE until it clicks, and the prop-shaft free-wheels.

I find it helpful to have someone that can move the shifter back and forth about 1" while you are installing gearcase (once it's up, check to make sure it achieves NEUTRAL, Forward AND Reverse). KEEP MOVING THE PROP WHEN THEY SHIFT as trying to shift a stationary gearcase can damage the shift linkages/components.

I will try that tomorrow. I understand this maintenance is not covered under warranty or maintenance plan. I was just curious about its expiration date.

[06 SB]

I had a buddy help out and in 5 minutes had the lower unit back in and testing properly. THANKS!

On a different note, I was going through the 300 hour kit to make sure I used everything and saw a syringe looking thing and realized it was some type of filter. I went though my maintenance manual and found that it is a filter for the fuel injector rail. I have to remove the rail to replace it. Is this filter replacement required and if so, is there any gotchas to the replacement? It seems straight forward.

[EuropeanAM]

Recommended. Biggest "gotcha" is that it is quite easy to pinch the injector harnesses and/or o-rings. Lube the o-rings well, be very careful with wiring and clamps.