1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

[nolano]

i have a 1972 Caravelle with a Mercruser I/O. Gradually the boat was getting harder and harder to shift into forward. The last time I drove the boat, when trying to dock I put it in reverse and it would not come out. I pushed the shift lever all the way forward and just excellerated in reverse instead of going into forward.

In the past, if you go to put the boat in forward, it would rattle a little like it is trying to go into gear, then I tapped the handle and it would pop in gear. Now, when I go to put it in forward, it just rattles like it is trying to go into gear, but when you push the handle forward more it does not go into forward, the engine just revs.

Does this sound like a cable/shift box problem or a lower outdrive problem? Can anybody give me some hints on who to test and fix this problem?

Thank you,

Nolan Reilly

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Welcome to iboats.

First, check your gearlube and see what comes out. Make sure it's full. I don't think you'll find anything nasty, but check anyhow.

It sounds more like you have a shift cable problem. There are two. The one from the throttle/shift box to the motor, and from the motor to the drive. It sounds like either the one up front broke or the one in back slipped it's slide tube. Find where both attach and remove them. Operate them by hand independently (nothing running) and see what happens.

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Thanks for the response, I seem to have two cables coming from the shifter box up front, is this the same one that you are talking about, or maybe this has been changed from the original? One more question, How do you get the shifter box open, it seems to be sealed pretty good?

Thanks again for the advise, probably going to save me a lot of pain and suffering.

Nolan

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

One cable is the shift & one is the throttle......
You should post a pic of your shifter, there are several different styles.....​

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Thanks, I will take a picture today and post it later. thanks again.

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Here are the picts of the sift box.

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

I attached the photos to the last reply, but don't know how to view them.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

No ya didn't, ya gotta paste them with the "globe" looking icon.....​

 

[ParallaxBill]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Is it the simple long chrome shifter with the black button in the middle? If so it's just like mine. I just got a NIB one off of Ebay a while back for $68. Works like a charm. My previous two had problems. The original had spline issues and would not stay tight, the second a $13.99 used one would hang in forward. Quite scarey at the ramp.

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Thanks Bill, Yes it is like that, so you just replaced the unit? The unit did not come with the cables right? Also, I took the piece of wood that the shifter box is on and I'm wondering how you get the shift box off that or apart. You went with a new box, so you had to take it off, did you take the box apart first? What did you put in the search when you found the NIB shift box on ebay?
http://www.oleskoole.com/Frontside.jpg

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Here is the backside of the shift box.
http://www.oleskoole.com/Backside.JPG

 

[ziggy]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

from the ft. side. remove the black botton. it pulls out. remove screw in center. on oppisite side of control arm inside the shoulder of the arm, is a set screw that sets against the splined shaft ya see when ya took the screw out. lossen set screw and pull arm off spined shaft. there's three big screws that hold the bezel and control assy. on.........

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

If you put the shifter in reverse, you should be able to view & remove the cable end on the exposed side.....
There is a pin & a hair clip that holds it on......
Before you get into ripping the throttle apart, I would disconnect the end at the shift plate on the engine & put the shifter in fwd & reverse to see if it is the upper cable that is the problem......
If it is the lower that is bad, you will save alot of aggravation.....
Don't forget to lube the pivot points on the shift plate with some 30 wt oil......
See how easy that cable travels before ripping that control box apart....​

 

[ParallaxBill]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Nolano, my NIB unit came without cables but did come in the original box with paperwork and all. I just did what ziggy told you and disconnected my cables and swapped the shifter out. There isn't much to go wrong inside the box besides the roller clips coming off allowing the shift pins to bind inside the shifter case. My last box had that problem and would bind in forward at WOT. It was a little disconcerting to be rolling at speed into my favorite cove only to have the throttle stick forcing me to use a lot more muscle to get the throttle back down.

Check your cable movement first before opening up the shifter box. The shifter box internals are simple but can be a pain to put back together if you have never done one before. Let me know when you crack yours open and I will be glad to help you get it back together. My original as I mentioned worked okay but had the splines worn out and the shifter would work loose. The second had the binding problem and a missing black button. I salvaged my button from my 1st to fix my second but then found the NIB shifter for a price I couldn't pass up. Now I have everything new plus another set of good spare cables.

Just do a search on Mercontrol and you will eventually see one like the one most of us are using from the early to late 70's on Mercruisers. You will also see some outboard controls during the searchs as they are also called Mercontrols.

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

Thank you all for the information. I think I have enough info to start breaking into the box or just change out the boxes, I'll have to find a box and make a decision then, although it sounds like the most effective. I really appreciate the help you guys are supplying and offering. I'll get back to you when I am able to make some progress.

Nolan

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

:redface: I am an idiot (all together now "IDIOT"), I pulled the lever to reverse to remove the upper cable (which is the shift cable and would have made this so easy to replace), and removed the hairpin and the pin that holds the cable to the lever inside the box. At this point I'm patting myself on the back when I should have been slapping myself in the face. I tryed pulling the cable out of the box, but forgot to bring the shift handle forward, thus breaking the lever inside the box.

So now I need a new box for sure. I looked on ebay and could not find anything suitable. I am looking at two boxes that are the cheapest I can find, one on iBoats http://www.oleskoole.com/shiftbox2.JPG
and the other on surplusunlimited http://www.oleskoole.com/shifterbox.JPG

Does anyone know anything about either of these boxes and if they will work in my situation?

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

So, I replaced the controller and the shift cable. It seems to be doing the same thing. If we adjust the cable one way just reverse will engage, the other way forward, but never both. When going into forward the first time it engages fine, but subsequent times after that it seems to slip out. Reverse however will engage everytime when the cable is adjusted drastically that way.

My son-in-law seems to think it is in the gearbox, does anybody have any opinions? Thanks

 

[ziggy]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

have ya checked the lower shift cable for smooth operation?
disconnect it and see if it moves freely. hope ya got the book on how to adj. it all back proper.

 

[nolano]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

thanks Ziggy, I wil check that. So I should disconnect from the point it connects to the upper cable system and try to move the lower cable system, is this correct?

I don't know of this book you mentioned, could you supply a reference?

 

[ziggy]

Re: 1972 Caravelle 165HP Mercruser shifting

ya need book C-90-68648. vol. 1 and 2....

here's a new link that someone put up.

http://www-alt.mercurymarine.com/mnetdata/sisdata/srvcovr.pdf

it does seem to work. it's the hole service manual so hope ya got broadband. took 10-15 to load up even with broadband......go to section 2, removal, installation and alignment. shift cable info starts on page 2B12


yep. that's the way i checked mine the last time. had the cable in my fingers and someone turning the prop both directions to see if i could shift with just the cable only...