Hi pulled down the motor to see what is wrong and surprisingly enough everything came apart easily.
Then hang on a minute

everything is moving freely - in
and out
.
Whoops started at the wrong end. Anyhow, I then grab the gearbox and find it is the problem not the motor take it apart and there it is a stuffed pinion.
I would have swore blind the noise was coming from the top of the outboard
something else I noticed is the crown gear looks like it is from a clutched gearbox and mine is direct drive.
Is there a problem there? Are the pinion and crown gear the same ratio? Is that why it flogged out or was it already had it and me with my unlimited mechanical knowledge (not)

didn't see it when I cleaned the dry rubbish out of the gearbox and put oil in it etc. when I first got it. I have another question as well - the driveshaft appears to be bonded somehow to the vertical shaft at the gearbox near the water pump rotor probably rust. Would it be wise to use heat on the driveshaft to release it from the other or would that weaken the driveshaft material? Oh yeah

since I have it apart how do you clean the water jackets on a 102 I see a big screw on the side of the head has that got anything to do with it or do I separate the head from the crankcase? I really don't want to pay for a new head gasket if I can get away with it. Anyway I learnt a good lesson with this little escapade - start with things the motor is connected to first and work your way up to the motor.
All good this end
Cheers
Bob