gear shifting issues

zeddy

Member
Aug 7, 2018
42
Boat Info
1985 Searay 210 Seville Mid Cabin
Engines
Mercruiser 5.0LX/ Alpha One
Hello all,

In the beginning of the year, we replaced our shift cable, shift shaft , shift lever on our 85' seville mid cabin. The motor/outdrive is a 94' mercruiser 5.0/alpha one gen two out drive.

Since then, we have had such a hard time adjusting the shift cable. During the year, it would shift into gear when the throttle shifter was down about 1/4 ways down. When placing into neutral, you'd have to take the shifter about 1/8 back for it to fall into neutral. Reverse, the throttle needed to go half way back for it to fall into gear, it was would be a hard shift, Avoided i it as much as possible.

Mid year, I had it adjusted, reverse was perfect. Forward, sometimes it will go into gear and sometimes doesn't want to go into gear. It would just rev when it didn't engaged. Also, after having in reverse, the forward would be extremely stiff when pushing into forward. But when I did engage it forward, same thing with the neutral.

Like mentioned before, the shift cable, shaft, lever all replaced. Everything else is from since 1994, throttle control box, throttle cables. should the throttle cable that sits above the shift cable in the engine be replaced?

It's like, if the forward shifts good, the reverse sucks. If the reverse is good, the foward sucks.

This is something I want to do during this winter in prep for next year.

Thank you in advance. Merry Christmas.
 
Google mercruiser shift cable adjustment. Easy way to do. When you put the new cable in ypu had to measure i think 6 inches to adjustment tab. Then adjust top cable. I have replaced several cables over the years and always follow this procedure.
 
Sorry. Not google. You tube.

I watched and adjusted them accordingly. When I adjusted it exactly the way i was suppose to, wouldn't engage into reverse at all, just clicking. I followed the video from SEI marine products.

Does the control cables/ control box all work together to the lower shift cable?
 
Yes. Did you move down the shift lever on the control at the motor. Thats the first start with a new cable. You can adjust that bolt up to adjust too. Also if you dont have you can add a shift assist. My 88 240 sorrento with 5.7 alpha 1 did not have and had a bitch of a time with adjustments. Added shift assist and helped alot
 
Yeah, I messed with the lever too. that's why i think i have forward and reverse. I will take a look at that shift assist. thank you.
 
Hey all, I'm sorta reviving this thread, I have a question about the issues I'm having.

This last weekend, I decided to take apart the throttle control box apart to clean/grease as well as the cables. The four bolts to get into the box was were completely loose and the inside was completely dry. There wasn't grease any where there.

The throttle control cable had a bent in the middle and what appeared to be deteriorated, exposing the cable. The cable its self did have a "V" shape bend the middle.

My question is, could what I discovered be the cause of the issues I am having as described above? I ordered a new cable which should be coming in later this week. Thanks in advance.
 
Here is the cable
the housing, and cable itself slightly bent.
 

Attachments

  • 63855A98-79BA-4A5E-962F-FD063DB6D83F.jpeg
    63855A98-79BA-4A5E-962F-FD063DB6D83F.jpeg
    313.9 KB · Views: 109
  • 1EE47E2E-9E7A-4F93-8E4D-F9C85A7AC07F.png
    1EE47E2E-9E7A-4F93-8E4D-F9C85A7AC07F.png
    853.7 KB · Views: 121
Yep, that thing is trash. Should be numbers on it to aid in finding a replacement.
Yup, ordered a replacement from Amazon for $40.
Hopefully I can finally can shift this thing normally.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,862
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top