Merc 5.7 w/Alpha One won't shift

[mccrorytr]

I have a 25' Wellcraft w/350 Thunderbolt with an Alpha One outdrive. It was sitting for about a two years before I bought it. I had to replace the flywheel ring, starter, drive coupler not to mention a dozen of other things. I replaced all the shift and throttle cables and bellows and the like. I can't get it to shift into either forward or reverse, running or not. I took the lower cable loose and it moves freely from end to end. I dropped the lower unit and the shifter slide seems to work fine. The shift shaft seems to have a lot of play in it when I rotated it manually on the lower unit but it will go into forward and revervse. Does anyone know how far the sliding clutch should have to move(from up at the shift shaft bend end before it engages between forw. and rev.)? I think there is a problem there but before I tear it down I would like to know about how much the shift shaft should rotate(move). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Don S]

Re: Merc 5.7 w/Alpha One won't shift

Assuming you actually have an Alpha I and not a One drive (pre Alpha) or an Alpha I Gen II drive, go to the Adults only sticky and download manual #6. Section 1C shows how to check the movement of the shift shaft.
Before you go to all that work, raise the drive and see if the upper shift shaft and the lower shift shaft are together. If the drive was apart for an impeller or something and the SS washer was left off the shift shaft, it will allow the shift shaft in the upper unit to drop down to far so the shoes for the shift shafts will not be engaged.

EDIT: Here is a picture from Merc service bulletin 84-24.

 

[mccrorytr]

Re: Merc 5.7 w/Alpha One won't shift

Thanks Don, Is the washer on the bottom side of the upper shift arm or the top side of the lower unit shift shaft?

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Merc 5.7 w/Alpha One won't shift

It simply goes on top of the lower shift shaft: