Re: Shift cable stretch?
We're mellow here and an engine is an engine.
First the 85: Force used a GOOFY cable system to actuate linkage and it is prone to slop. Cables are piano wire and do not stretch. However, if you have tried to adjust the cable end, and have had no sucess, there are two other things to look for. The most difficult one is to remove the control and see if the cable is threaded in about 1/2 way to the fitting there. Too far out, and it will bias the linkage toward forward. Second, below the bottom carb you will see the shift rod coming up through the match plate and connecting to the neutral interlock plate. It has a nut on the top and on the bottom of the plate. Since forward is down, you want to screw the bottom nut down a bit then follow with the top nut to raise the rod. A little goes a long way, so try about 1/2 turn at a time. The object is to get equal movement of the shift rod in both directions. You check this by putting the engine in forward and marking the lower shift rod where it exits the lower unit. Then do the same for neutral and reverse. When properly adjusted the forward and reverse should be equidistant from the neutral mark.
Now for the 50! shift linkage is on the starboard side. You must remove both halves of the lower shroud (six screws on older models) and you will see a hex joiner. It is threaded both right on one side and left on the other. So loosening the locknut and turning in one direction will shorten the shift linkage and other direction will lengthen it. Again forward is down so lengthening it increases bias toward foward. Again, equal throw in both directions is the goal.
