Is changing the shifter cable (mercruiser 165) a DIY job?

[jimmwaller]

I have a mercruiser 165 with a pre-alpha MC1 outdrive. I bought a bellows kit and it came with new bellows and stuff but also a new shift cable.

Apparently, these new style shift cables have threaded ends, and I would need to drill a new hole and tap it to accept this shift cable.

Is this a DIY job, or should I have a shop do it? I'm concerned about all stages of this repair: Removing the old shift cable, drilling/tapping the new shift cable, installing and routing the new cable, and then reconnecting everything.

I've never even repositioned my current shift cable, is that easy?


So is this a DIY thing? Shop? How much can I expect this to run at a shop?

thanks

 

[alldodge]

While its not a hard job (taken from my perspective) each person must decide if it is to much for them. Note I have been taking my Xmass presents apart and putting them back together since forever. So it would be easy, pezzy. Sounds like your having issues, so it may be best to just let someone else do it

Figure no more the $500

 

[kenny nunez]

Just as All Dodge advised it is not a job for the person who has not been trained. Changing the cables from the control box to the engine is pretty easy and I am sure you could do it. In my 30 plus years as a dealer I probably did 50 -75 shift cable jobs and some of them were no cake walk because of other problems like corrosion or other issues. When things went right I could do one between 45 minutes and an hour on a small boat with a 4 cylinder.

 

[achris]

You don't drill and tap, you need to re-tap the existing threads. The old cable entered the bell housing from the rear, the forward threads get filled with crud and need to be cleaned up to allow the new cable to thread in from the front. ..

And with the right tools and the factory manual, it's not a difficult job.

Chris. ...

 

[nola mike]

thought I saw a thread recently where the poster was able to find the old style cable and avoid re tapping?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I remember the thread,... NOS cable,... Just delayin' the inevitable,...

 

[nola mike]

No, not NOS. It was from this thread, post #5. I don't know if the info is accurate or not, that was the first time I remember seeing it...

 

[bbook83]

The posters saying the old style cable is not available know a lot more than I do about doing this job, but they are wrong as to the parts availability. I gave the parts numbers in the other thread and the op said he was able to order them.

 

[achris]

The posters saying the old style cable is not available know a lot more than I do about doing this job, but they are wrong as to the parts availability. I gave the parts numbers in the other thread and the op said he was able to order them.

But why would you buy the old parts? Merc updated them for a reason. They are superior. A little more work is involved to initially fit them, but so what if the end result is worth it.