Johnson/Evinrude Marine engines - 40HP Johnson - I can not get the lower end to lift up

My 40 HP Johnson outboard and boat has been sitting on the boat lift due to the low water level..

My 40 HP Johnson outboard and boat has been sitting on the boat lift due to the low water level in the lake.
I can not get the lower end to lift up. It seems that nothing I do will release the mechanism so the lower end can be lifted. Will somebody walk me through the proper way to release it so it can be lifted without breaking something?
Billy

I need to know if the power lift has two cylinders. One on both sides of the motor

It must be one in the middle because I can't see anything on the sides. I am not at the location of the boat at this time.
Billy

that is ok. If the cylinder is in the middle there is a hole on the left side.
You can take a scredriver there is a releace screw turn the relife counter clockwise. That should let you rase the lower unit by hand. Let me know. Carl.

I just went over and checked it out and could not find a release screw.
There is not a power lift on this engine. There is a lever on the RH side that is loose and does nothing when it is moved. There is two little tabs on either side of the center section that seems to do nothing when I move them back and forth. I tried to lift the lower unit but it seems that there is something locked up. The engine is a 40 HP Johnson Tracker about a 1992 model.
Billy.

if there is no power trim make sure the throtal is pusheg all the forwarg. There should be a lock next to the boat about at the bottom of where the motor fastens to the boat.
let me if that is it.
Carl.

There is no external hold down latch mechanism as you described in your last posting. There has to be something internal that is holding the lower unit down. How can I gain acccess to what is inside the housing area? Billy.

can you provide the engine model number? It is located on the portside engine clamp bracket.

Evenrude Tech, The Model Number of my Johnson 40 HP outboard engine is:
TE40ELENM

your engine has a manually activated tilt assist cyl. If the tilt lever just moves freely when you move it the cable may have broken.

What you will need to do is remove the cable from the tilt assist cyl and release the hydraulics manually. I think needle nosed pliers will give you the leverage you need under the cable attachment on the cyl to allow you to raise the engine.
If you do find the cable has broken you can at least now trailer it somewhere to have it replaced.