45 hp johnson outboard

Question
I have a 45 hp outboard on my bass boat.  A few months ago, while at no wake speed, my gear box started making a horrific buzzing sound.  I shut the engine off, restarted, and after a minute or two, it started again.  Once I hit higher speeds, however, it went away and did not return.  The last several outings since, the buzzer will alarm while I have first started it at the dock, however goes away shortly after hitting higher speeds and does not come back the rest of the day.
The "pee-stream" looks strong upon start up, however I've heard it could be a blockage in the intake flow.  Any thoughts?

Thank you!!!!

Answer
Hi Scott...thank you for selecting the undersigned to reply to your question.

I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, however, the symptom you're experiencing is unusual as well as intermitent. It could be a wiring problem affecting the shifter mechanism.

As long as there's a strong stream of water being emitted from the underside of the powerhead, you can pretty well rest assured there's plenty of water being picked up and processed through the impeller. It's when the stream is weak or non-existent, you should become very concerned. Next time the boat is hauled out, check the water intake internally for possible blockage. Failing positive results, I recommend you consult a qualified and reliable marine mechanic.

Safe Boating
Ron