Lower Shift Cable Bell Housing Thread Size?

[Twhjelmgren28]

You guys have been helping me out on a back-end rebuild of my 1985 Mercruiser 120 and I've run into some problems with the lower shift cable.

I ordered a replacement lower shift cable that's supposed to fit R / MR / Alpha One Gen 1, which is what my outdrive assembly is. The issue is that the threads seem too large for the hole that the cable is supposed to screw in on the bell housing. I've tried to screw it in, thinking maybe it's just my perception but it looks too big too fit in.

The issue is that, as far as I can tell, pretty much all Mercruisers from the 80's and early 90's should use this same shift cable, unless I'm missing something. It just doesn't seem right. Any thoughts / suggestions?

 

[Alumarine]

The housing should be 1/4"-18 NPSF which is a straight pipe thread.
I'm not sure about the cable fitting.
I just measured the cable fitting and it seems to be 1/4" NPT tapered.

 

[Bt Doctur]

You did unscrew the old one to remove the cable?

 

[Twhjelmgren28]

The housing should be 1/4"-18 NPSF which is a straight pipe thread.
I'm not sure about the cable fitting.
I just measured the cable fitting and it seems to be 1/4" NPT tapered.

You did unscrew the old one to remove the cable?

Thanks for measuring that.

I did unscrew the old one but we went on vacation and right before, I threw a bunch of stuff away, including that! Doh!

I did end up getting this one in but it was a tough install - I'm really hoping I didn't strip the threads going in but it looked centered on both sides. I think the reason it was tough going in was corrosion / dried grease stuck in the threads.