Shifty shifting

[brandiesel]

I have an 81 sundancer 260 that I pullde from a salvage yard and reconditioned. I hhave gotten most of the mechanical bugs worked out except that every time I shift the single 5.7 260 into reverse, it kills. It also does it in forward unless I adjust the idle up to an angry 1400rpm, but the it slams into gear and I don't like that much better. Any suggestions to help me out with this shifty shifting?

 

[techmitch]

possibly seized/binding shift cable or misadjusted ignition cutout switch, the switch is located on the bracket where the throttle and the shift cables are hooked together by the linkage if the shift cable is binding it will cause excessive tension on the linkage which intern causes it to activate the ignition cutout switch. let us know what you find or if we can be of any more help. p.s. since it sounds like the boat has been sitting, my bet is on the cable unless the eng. or bracket has been disassembled

 

[89 Searay 200BR]

try this
http://www.mercstuff.com/images/shiftcable.jpg

 

[Pakmule]

I had the same problem on my 270 and it was the cutout switch as people have pointed out here. You can disconnect it and shift to test if that is in fact the problem. Don't run that way though.

Unfortunately for me it was not just the switch. The cables, controls and outdrives were all bad from corrosion.