Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Here is a link that may help:
http://www.mercstuff.com/howdoi.htm

Great link thank you so much! Have you actually ordered from this site?

DD

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

answered my own question with the information from blk-n-blu...thanks

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

So now that it is ready to go back together...Do I need to grease/lube the shift shaft slider and the cam/arm?

Just to give an update to water pump...It was toast! Impeller was in pieces and the water tube was actually melted. So, I got that all changed and am needing to know now the above asked question regarding the lube on the shift slider and arm/cam.

DD

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

As you can see in the picture above, I use a blob of whatever grease happens to be in the grease gun there at the shift slide and arm.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

As you can see in the picture above, I use a blob of whatever grease happens to be in the grease gun there at the shift slide and arm.

Ok..so I got it back together but ran out of time to try it out. I put grease but not a blob...I'm sure it will be ok don't you?

Will test all tomorrow and let you know. I am hoping that this will fix the stalling at throttle as well since there was water in the shift slider and cam area. If not, back to fixing the shift cable. Ugh!

Crossing fingers and thankfully I have great help here in the forums!!!!!

DD

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Ok...so I put the gear lube in and did all the work as instructed. I put water into the muffs and then cranked it. After a couple of badum badums it kicked over and ran in neutral. I was able to put it into gear and then as I started to move lever forward it died and I did this a couple of times and it went into forward. Idled for a little while then tried reverse and it died. I got it going in neutral and ran again for a little bit (thermostat not moving up at all) tried to put in gear and it stalled/died and will not start now. It tries but doesn't kick over. Battery might be low on juice so I will try a different battery. Any other ideas?

DD

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Did you install a new shift cable? If not you could try adjusting yours. Here is how to do it: http://www.perfprotech.com/store/app_themes/ppt/images/tech-specs/alpha-shift-adjust.pdf start at page 89 If that doesn't help you may need a new cable.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

I only have one shift throttle. That would make it "drive unit not installed" in the pictures...correct?

Seems as though it would be more in the outdrive instead of in boat...?

DD

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

I only have one shift throttle. That would make it "drive unit not installed" in the pictures...correct?

Seems as though it would be more in the outdrive instead of in boat...?

DD

Not even sure what you mean by that.

I am surprised you did all of that work and did not replace the shift cable. The cable we are talking about is the one that screws into the helmet or bell housing on the transom assembly. Has nothing to do with the control cable from the shifter up front. It's sometimes called the lower shift cable.

In the guide that was posted, since you have the outdrive back on the boat, you need to look under the section labeled "Alpha Models - Drive Unit Installed"

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Not even sure what you mean by that.

I am surprised you did all of that work and did not replace the shift cable. The cable we are talking about is the one that screws into the helmet or bell housing on the transom assembly. Has nothing to do with the control cable from the shifter up from. It's sometimes called the lower shift cable.

In the guide that was posted, since you have the outdrive back on the boat, you need to look under the section labeled "Alpha Models - Drive Unit Installed"

I realize now that I probably should have done the shift cable. So, I will tackle that now. That seems easier to do than to take the panels and seats out to do the work on the cable to the throttle. I have adjusted that before and that is a "pita". Now that I am going to do this, will I be able to use the gasket that I installed to put the drive on or will I need to get another gasket? Also, do you recommend (and I will go with what you guys say again) changing out the the lower shift shaft and the upper shift shaft along with the cable?

When I tried to start the engine again after a little while, I was not getting any fire. I was getting engine to turn over and it sounded like it was going to fire, but never did. Does that have to do with all of this as well?

I honestly am loving this learning process, but I am ready to get to the lake. I would like to reap the rewards of all this work, as I am sure you guys can understand.

Thanks again.

DD

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Hi, if the shift interrupter isn't centered in it's spot it kills the ignition. That is very possibly what's keeping the engine from running. When the lower shift cable is installed and correctly adjusted then you can check further. But, trust me on this, the shift is your next step.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

This is in the Adults Only at the top of the forum and explains how the shift interrupter works:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=1930449#post1930449

Have someone back at the shift plate on the engine and see if the interruptor is moving off center when it is dying when you shift it.

The thing with the shift shaft bushing/seal in the bellhousing is they are redesigned from what you have now, with a better seal built in on the upper bushing. Lower one is just a bushing no seal. Yours is probably shot after 25 years and can add friction to the shift and possibly let water by it into the shift cable.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

This is in the Adults Only at the top of the forum and explains how the shift interrupter works:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=1930449#post1930449

Have someone back at the shift plate on the engine and see if the interruptor is moving off center when it is dying when you shift it.

The thing with the shift shaft bushing/seal in the bellhousing is they are redesigned from what you have now, with a better seal built in on the upper bushing. Lower one is just a bushing no seal. Yours is probably shot after 25 years and can add friction to the shift and possibly let water by it into the shift cable.

Sounds like that is what really happened here. As from the picture on the previous page is shows major water and calcium. After seeing what the water pump looked like I'm pretty amazed that there aren't 5,000 things wrong. However, I am not sure there aren't 5,000 things wrong either.

Thanks
DD

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

However, I am not sure there aren't 5,000 things wrong either.

Ahh! You've discovered the secret! Welcome to the world of boating!!

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

I only have one shift throttle. That would make it "drive unit not installed" in the pictures...correct?

Seems as though it would be more in the outdrive instead of in boat...?

DD

Nope, go to page 89, adjust with drive unit installed. It will at least be good practice, cus you will have to do it anyway if you change the cable.

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Now I am ready to do the outdrive pulling again and this time change the shift shaft (upper, lower, intermediate) bushings, slide shift etc...

My question is this: Do I need to purchase all the tools to do this or can I get by with what I used the first time? Do I need: shift shaft bushing tool, outdrive install tool, shift cable socket or will the tools I have around the garage do the job?

Somewhere I read also about a 1/4-18 pipe tap for the shift shaft cable. Is that necessary?

Any advice would be great! I am looking at two sites for price comparison and I can post them so you can see if I am getting the best deal if that is allowed.

Thanks again.

DD

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Another question regarding purchasing:
Does it matter if it is a GLM brand or Mercury/Mercruiser brand? I found some parts on an actual mercury site but they are not "name brand" so to speak. Is there a problem with this? It seems as though the one site I am looking at calls for a shift cable kit upgrade(GLM) and that is where the pipe tap comes in. If I were to get the mercruiser/mercury brand (higher cost) would I have to tap out for new bellows etc...? Or does saving some money outweigh the fact I will have to do a little tapping?

Thanks for advice.

DD

 

[CaptainDucky]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

Hoping you guys can help me? I finally got my parts to do the full shift cable disassembly and reassembly and at the same time decided to change the shift shafts (upper and intermediate). As you can see from the picture I was successful in removing the shift arm and the shift shaft but the bushing at the bottom is not coming out. By the way, that was the only bushing in there and as you can see from the other picture I was sent two parts saying bushing. I am wondering if the larger of the two is the bushing installation tool of some sort? If so, how do I remove the bushing that you can see in the picture marked with a red arrow? At the green arrow there is not going to be a bushing correct?

Thanks for the help.

DD

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

You don't need special tools to remove/reinstall those bushings, people on here have used several different tools to do the job. I used a long piece of 5/16" threaded rod with some nuts and washers and pressed them out and back in. Piece of cake. (had to round off the corners of one of the nuts so it would pass thru the opening of the bushing in the bellhousing, yet still grab on the bushing/seal.

The package of the new bushings looks correct. Look at post#15 in your thread. The larger one is the top with the seal on the bottom of it in the exhaust passage. That's why it's better than what you had.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Closer Look at Bell Housing and Shift Cable

The one on the right is the upper bushing and seal, if it is GLM, make sure the seals are in there, one of the guys here got one of those and there were no seals in it.