MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

[JR74CJ5]

First I am new to boat mechanics...

I have a Mercruiser I/O (engine is a 4 cyl inline GM 120HP) on a 1973 Boat. The shifting was acting up on my grandfather before he gave me the boat. I spent some time trying to adjust the cable linkage, but think i may have just made it worse...

My grandfather said it was something in-side the outdrive that was causing the issue, but since it was shifting fine into forward gear (with a little to spare: before it would get all the way into forward position on the control the prop would lock into gear) and it would just click (almost lock) at the reverse position without going further on the throttle, i thought it may have just been a slight adjustment.

Does anyone have some tips or guidance for adjustment of the cable before i try to check the cable going into the outdrive? I'd prefer to try to do it myself, but the "manual" looks like it is written in a different language.

The prop is RH / Clock wise rotation i believe... Let me know if i left out any importaint info... Done a lot to this boat already, now eagar to get it on the water!
Thanks
~ JR

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

my 73' 120 wouldn't shift fully into reverse so slid the barrel up just a little and that fixed it . Mine was clacking in reverse.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

Thanks!

That's what mine is doing Clacking / Clanking when trying to go into reverse.

I'm assuming by barrel you mean the gold / brass adjustment on each cable.

Which one (cable) should I have adjusted? The one coming from the control to the linkage, or the one going from linkage to outdrive?

I think i have messed with them too much now and am not sure how to correctly adjust them both, they seem to not adjust very independently, unless I was just doing it wrong... Again I?m kind of a noob with boat mechanics, compared to cars / trucks?

Is there any good resource materials / how to info for complete re-adjustment?

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

Try this:

 

[JR74CJ5]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

Awesome! I'll try when i get home! Mine looks slightly different but i will see if i can figure out from the procedure and picture you provided.

If not i'll post a pic of the exact layout of mine.

Thanks again to the both of you for the replies!

~ JR

 

[Bondo]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

Ayuh,... You can keep tryin' to adjust it,...
But,...
The cable is worn out,+ needs Replacing...

 

[JR74CJ5]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

That diagram Eric posted is great! Helps me understand a lot better what to adjust for which gear etc. My problem now is before reading that today, yesterday i blindly (and foolishly) adjusted the control cable too (top one in picture i just took and attached)

Anyone have any hints as to how that is supposed to be adjusted so i can ensure it is in the correct place while adjusting the lower cable?

And then if it still wont adjust correctly I am assuming Bond-o's post is correct... I'll need to replace the shift cable into the outdrive unit?

Thanks again.
~ JR

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

The correct way to adjust it is in the manual. you do need to understand it thoroughly.
the cable on the left goes to the control box, the cable on the right goes to the drive. The stud pictured is an adjustment that will increase or decrease the amount of travel needed to obtain shifting travel.You raise or lower in in the slot.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

Try this:

I just did this (thanks again), and while preforming step 7 (pulling cable tight for reverse lock) the cable would not extend far enough to lock the prop from turning. It wasn't "hard" to move, just wouldn't go out far enough... (it would start to clunk / almost lock prop, but the prop was still movable...)

Does this mean I do in fact need to replace the cable? Or possible other issues?

(someone tell me if i need to be posting seperate "thread"??? I'm more of a noob with forums then with boat mechanics... )

 

[JR74CJ5]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

The correct way to adjust it is in the manual. you do need to understand it thoroughly.
the cable on the left goes to the control box, the cable on the right goes to the drive. The stud pictured is an adjustment that will increase or decrease the amount of travel needed to obtain shifting travel.You raise or lower in in the slot.

I get all that now, I'm asking at which point in the threads does the brass barrel need to be on the cable to the left (going to the control box)? I mistakenly tried to adjust that yesterday before gaining the understanding i've recieved today thanks to this forum...

And I think my manual is flawed... I read through that thing twice and it mentions adjustment for every other type of mercruiser outdrive, except mine.

 

[K9Deuce]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

http://www.sterndrives.com/replace_alpha_shiftcable.html

Great site for info scroll down to the bottom for adjustment info,,,

 

[JR74CJ5]

Re: MerCruiser Shift cable adjustment

http://www.sterndrives.com/replace_alpha_shiftcable.html

Great site for info scroll down to the bottom for adjustment info,,,

Thanks!