REPLACE THE PUMP AND BOAT WANT GO IN GEAR - Mercury Water Pump Impeller Kit, Mariner 25-50 HP 98-up

Hi,

the gear shift shaft/rod pushes down on a metal wedge inside the gear box this forces a dog clutch to engage a gear and transfer the engine drive to the prop shaft along the prop. A return spring keeps the dog clutch against the wedge so that when the shift shaft/rod is lifted the dog clutch disengages (neutral) if you keep lifting another gear is engaged, astern. Missing one of the gears, adjustment. No gears, shaft/rod alignment. Is yours direct mechanically hard linked or does a cable transfer the movement to the shaft? Check the top shift connections first, before taking the leg apart again.
Hope the above, windy reply is useful.