MC1 gimbel bel housing shift cable

[52FordF2]

Has anyone ever converted MC1 Bell housing to an Alpha shift cable?

I have found a few photos of one converted but do not know who did it.





If you have the procedure I like to look at it. Need to convert my 1976 MC1 outdrive over. Shift cable is hard to find, but was able to get an Alpha shift cable.

Its a national pipe thread into the housing.



It looks like I need to create the threads from the front side, but it also looks like it is counter bored a little also.

 

[Bt Doctur]

it is NOT a pipe tap, it is a STRAIGHT tap. Graingers has them.
any leakage from there is from a damaged/missing water inlet O ring

 

[Bondo]

Its a national pipe thread into the housing.

Ayuh,.... As BD says, it's Straight pipe threads, not the usual Tapered pipe thread,....

 

[Fun Times]

Bt Doctur's/Bondo's tap reference is 1/4-18 NPSF special straight thread tap part number from Mercruiser is 91-95639, http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engin...36#post6384836

http://www.mercstuff.com/shiftcable1.htm
TO: SERVICE MANAGER TECHNICIANS No. 83-27 PARTS …

Just for future reference to other members inquiring about tapping Alpha type bell housings, the tap sized mentioned inside the following link/quote below seems incorrect as there is no other reference available from Mercruiser to the sizing mentioned,
http://www.sterndrive.info/sterndriv..._assembly.html

Boats made from 1966 - 1983 with MC-1 or R/MR model Mercruiser sterndrives, had the cable installed from behind (boat side) of the bell housing. If you have this setup, you'll need to modify the bell housing by using a 1/4-20 NC tap with a # 7 or 13/64" drill bit - or a 1/4-28 NFC tap to create new threads in the aft end of the bell housing. The existing threads already go through the housing - use this tap from the other side of the housing.

Section 3E - Shift Cable Installation, Drive Unit ...

 

[Bt Doctur]

somebody should tell them that info is incorrect. is should have been 1/4 x 18 NPSF

 

[52FordF2]

I was able to acquire a donor boat that had this conversion.It looks like you just finish tapping the hole and install cable.
Nothing else needed. Assemble everything normally.

 

[Bt Doctur]

that is correct. you start the tap from the rear NOT THE FRONT .Once its tapped, install the cable nornally according to the directions

 

[fishrdan]

Do yourself a huge favor and buy an OEM Mercruiser/Quicksilver lower shift cable, they are built better than aftermarket. Doing this work probably requires removing the bell housing, so you might as well replace the bellows while in there,,, if they haven't been changed in the past year or 2.

If the cable sheath unscrews and removes from the front/boat side of the gimble housing, it needs to be tapped as shown above. If it unscrews and removes from the aft/back side of the gimble housing, it's already been tapped from a previous repair. I bought my 72 Mercruiser about 15-20 years ago, and it was already tapped from a previous repair.....