Trouble installing my lower unit after water pump change

[erb]

I have twin 2000 150 2 strokes. I changed my water pumps and was able to re-assemble the port lower unit onto the motor. However, I am having difficulty installing the starboard lower unit. Both the drive shaft and shift gear splines seem to engage, but the lower unit stops about 2 inches from mating with the motor. The best I can tell is that the water tube is hitting a lip inside the water pump housing, but I am not sure b/c I can't see. Anyone have any ideas?

[slim]

as long as the tub is going in the hole in the w/p housing, nothing from the water pump should stop it. its most likely the splines on the shift rod cause about two inches is the distance left before it mates to the midsection. have someone manually move the shift while you gently push up. if it does go up, put one middle bolt in and suck it up all the way and check the shift before installing the rest of the bolts. DO NOT TRY TO SUCK IT UP WITH THE BOLTS OR YOU WILL DAMAGE THE SHIFT ROD. seen it many times before.

[Ken]

erb,
On my C115, I find it best to put the remote control in neutral and the lower unit in neutral also before trying to stab the lower unit.
Turn the prop shaft to see if the drive shaft turns also - if it does, then the lower unit is in gear. Turn the shift rod on the lower unit (I put a rag over the shift rod splines and gently rotate with pliers) until the lower unit is in neutral.
I have also found that I usually have to rotate the flywheel just a little (this takes two people) to get the drive shaft to go all the way into the splines on the end of the crank.
Good luck [img]smile.gif[/img] ,
Ken K