Shift cables adjustments

[AquaNoob]

While I am waiting for some more materials for the restore I started working on the mechanical aspect...

Background:
Before last night I was unable to get the outdrive into Forward gear, so I began adjusting the cables. I started with the lower unit cable and adjusted the barrel to 6" on center to the center of the whole.

At this point I had Reverse and Neutral with no problems, and I was very close to drive. So I adjusted the remote cable until I had forward everytime I shifted with someone turning the prop counterclockwise. At this time I had itermittent reverse, so I was at the opposite of what I started at.

Am I doing something wrong, out of order? Am I wasting my time and should just buy a new lower cable and find that its 100x easier to adjust. Or am I right on track and this is just a bugger and had a very fine line of adjustment!?!?!?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Bob & Sue]

This is what happened to me first I had forward, neutral and reverse I backed out of the dock put it in forward no forward long story short the cable was frayed with just enough holding it together to adjust it like your doing. I needed to replace the shift cable. There are plenty of videos out there and posts to show the correct way to do this for your outdrive it needs to be done correctly or you'll do it over after it fails again.

 

[aqua*holic]

You can check your drive shift cable by disconnecting it and moving it by hand while someone turns your prop. It should move in and out freely, without binding or really chaning resistance very much. If it is tought to move by hand, it is chaffed or corroded and needs to be replaced.

If it moves freely, than you are right that "this is just a bugger and had a very fine line of adjustment". I spent a lot of time trying to adjust the one on my previous boat, and never did get it adjusted perfectly. It was close, but never quite right.

 

[AquaNoob]

So the cable seems to move about the same but it seems like I have to give it an extra little umph to hit drive when I do I by hand. Maybe its just me trying to duplicate a firm shift. Not sure. But I can adjust it to either or. Either everytime hitting forward or reverse. So maybe I am to the poi.t of.just finding the right.point. do I need to do the with the engine running? We did it all by hand. Will it change when it is in water? Or if I find it I should be ok in water. Typically it just a hair out on either side...

 

[Spookeay]

Umm,,,, your cable from the drive is stretched and needs to be replaced. There is not enough throw in the shifter to make up for the strech.

 

[AquaNoob]

I kinda feared that, but I also figured that'd be the popular answer! I pretty much planned on a new cable just for no other reason just to be safe. One of those" if I don't ill regret it later deals"

Thanks all for your help, ill be be headin to the marina friday to get the cable kit!!!


Looks like ill be searching on install bids and links!

 

[Brian77]

I had similar issues with my boat and while the lower cables were smooth, they had stretched and I was unable to get them adjusted properly...I also ended up doing the upper cables and a new shifter, now the boat shifts like a dream.

Do a search for the Mercruiser Service Bulletin 89-4. It has instructions to follow so you will be able to determine if the lower cables are stretched. However, if you have the boat out of the water and are doing a restore, you might just want to replace the cable and do all the bellows while you are at it.

-Brian

 

[annie]

Do you have a slot on the shift lever where the drive unit shift cable attaches? This is how you adjust the total throw of the cable. The higher up the slot the more throw you'll have on the drive unit shift cable which means you will get both fwd and reverse.

 

[AquaNoob]

The bolt is placed in the highest location on the shift lever. I am just going to put a new cable on, hopefully I can get a hand this weekend and try to do it then. Thanks for all the help.