Mercruiser 4.3 MPI shift cable adjustment.

[shackle101]

Hello all,

Not long ago, I decided to adjust my shift cable when I was having issues I thought it might be causing. It turns out it was not causing the problems I was having. Now, after adjustment to factory settings, it won't go into neutral without playing with it a bit. I have to slightly put the lever forward to get it into neutral to get the boat to crank.

So the question here is which way I should adjust the knob to get this worked out? Forward or back? (left or right turns).

Thanks!

 

[shackle101]

Also, this is an alpha one gen 2 standard rotation.

 

[Bondo]

I have to slightly put the lever forward to get it into neutral to get the boat to crank.

Ayuh,...... I think you'll find that, that is a controller issue, not so much a cable issue,......

 

[shackle101]

The cable was the only thing adjusted. It worked fine before adjustment.

 

[achris]

Neutral safety switch (which stops the engine from being cranked if it's not in neutral) is in the control box, not on the engine.

What is possible is that you have the cable from the remote so far out of adjustment that the shift assister (spring loaded black thing on the shift plate) is pushing on the cable enough to push the shift cam (inside the remote control) off the neutral position.

So, remove the remote control cable from the shift plate. Put the shift assister back on and let the shift plate find it's own neutral position. Now put the remote in the exact neutral position and check that the engine cranks. Now put the remote cable next to its anchor points and spin the barrel (on the cable) until it would sit on the studs without disturbing them. Remove the shift assister, put the remote cable on the studs, then the shift assister and put the nuts on (or split pins). Only tighten the nuts so the cable doesn't flop around, don't 'clamp' the cable end or the barrel.

Chris.........