Bravo drive won't go forward, was fine when I shut it off??

[Lukelona]

Took boat out on the 4th, was running great all day. Drove my wife to the dock a few miles away and came back to sand bar and shut it off. When I went to leave again to get her it would not go in forward gear. Will hit N and R just fine.
I took lower cable off at the engine and tried manually putting in gear and got nothing. I can push the cable all the way in to the sleeve without getting forward gear. But if I pull it out with pliers I can get reverse and N.
I took the outdrive back off and took front cover off and can manually get all 3 gears by moving shift fork.
Put it back on and connected cable again. Same thing.

I have no idea what to do. I thought maybe cable had stretched, or came off in outdrive but it doesn't seem to be. It's obviously not broken bc I can still get reverse.
I was worried that it was catastrophic failure in drive, but it was literally fine when I shut it off? Don't see how it cold break sitting there for 30min.
Any ideas what to look for before I throw the parts dart at it? Lol thanks alot

Would like to make it to a sand bar party this weekend if I can get it fixed!?!?

 

[tpenfield]

Sounds like it may just need to be adjusted. There is a shift cable adjustment tool that you can buy and should help.

 

[Lukelona]

But if I can remove the cable from engine, and push the cable in and out of the sleeve as if it were shifting and still can't get forward gear would adjustment help that?

 

[alldodge]

I took lower cable off at the engine and tried manually putting in gear and got nothing. I can push the cable all the way in to the sleeve without getting forward gear. But if I pull it out with pliers I can get reverse and N.
I took the outdrive back off and took front cover off and can manually get all 3 gears by moving shift fork.

I think the issue is in the clutch. What is the serial number of the drive?

 

[Lukelona]

I think the issue is in the clutch. What is the serial number of the drive?[/QUOTE

Unfortunately, the serial number is worn off the tag on engine cover. And outdrive has been painted.
It's a 1995 model Mercruiser 5.7 with bravo drive. Believe it's a bravo 2.

I was wondering if it could be clutch as well, but never dealt with this before as its my first bravo.

 

[Scotvl]

Before you replace the clutch remove the upper rear cover with 3 bolts on the drive and clean and lube the detent ball and spring, mine was frozen in the fully extended position and wouldn't collapse when shifting making it hard to get into gear. Mine was very hard to get in gear after I first purchased my 225 with bravo 3 and even slipped and banged into gear launching us forward one time which is why I found out about the fix for this, and it has shifted smooth ever since.

 

[alldodge]

The puzzler is the drive shifts when the drive is off but not when on. The cable is attached to the bell housing, check that the cable jacket is tight and does not have any play, so it is not able to slide in or out.

When I said clutch previously I'm actually was thinking shifter assembly (item 29). If it is not rotating freely it will cause shifting problems.

 

[Lukelona]

The puzzler is the drive shifts when the drive is off but not when on. The cable is attached to the bell housing, check that the cable jacket is tight and does not have any play, so it is not able to slide in or out.

When I said clutch previously I'm actually was thinking shifter assembly (item 29). If it is not rotating freely it will cause shifting problems.

Yea that part #29 is what I used to shitlft it when I took drive off again. It locks in all3 gears when shifting from that directly.
I never thought to check my control box, although if it was up there you'd think it would shift from the engine when I had that disconnected...
I'm really at a loss right now.

 

[alldodge]

I'm wondering if the outside of the cable is loose from the brass tube and nut? Also is the nut tight