Older Mercruiser Control

[MokiCruiser]

Maybe somebody can help me out with my control problem.

I have an older SeaRay with the original Mercruiser shift/throttle control. It is the kind that is chrome with a round base and throttle only button in the center of the handle mounting. My issue is that I do not manage the throttle very well. I find it very hard to adjust the speed and shifting from forward to neutral and reverse when I am trying to finesse it to a dock. I was told that I can replace this older control with a newer (mid 80s anyway control) that is much easier to use with more "throw" in the control lever to adjust speed. Does anyone understand this post ...... it's about as well as I can explain this issue I would like to fix.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

Ayuh,... You might be able to tighten up the old 1,... depends on where,+ why it's loose..
Or,..
Just go ahead,+ replace it with a newer 1... No Problem...

 

[MokiCruiser]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

It's not so much that it's loose ...... it's mostly just that this control has such a limited amount of speed control ...... at least that is what I was told. I have never had an inboard before and so am not sure what I should expect, but what I do know is that I have a hard time operating this control smoothly. I have bought a transom repair bellows kit as well as a shift cable kit and plan to either install them myself or have it done.

I am not sure if this is normal and I am just not operating it well, but this older control that I have is hard for me to operate in a smooth or safe, as in docking situation. When it is in neutral the arm is at about the 12 o'clock position, and then I can push it all the way down to the 10 o'clock position or beyond before I get to the throttle area ...... but then I only have from 10 o'clock to 9 o'clock for my speed control adjustments ...... and that's where the problem arises. Either I am just a lousy operator or something is worn or out of adjustment

Since I have never had an inboard/outdrive I have nothing to compare this to ...... but it seems like I should have from 12 o'clock to 11 o'clock to shift into gear and then from 11 o'clock to 9 o'clock for the speed, not the other way around. Am I wrong here and so just a bad operator or is something not quite right?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

Since I have never had an inboard/outdrive I have nothing to compare this to ...... but it seems like I should have from 12 o'clock to 11 o'clock to shift into gear and then from 11 o'clock to 9 o'clock for the speed, not the other way around. Am I wrong here and so just a bad operator or is something not quite right?

Ayuh,.. There are various adjustments,+ other attachment points within the controller,...
I can't see the problems, so I can't say exactly What needs fixin'...
Take it apart,+ Inspect what you've got to work with...

 

[MokiCruiser]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

Well first off before I take this thing apart .... is that amount of control normal ..... the 12 to 10 to 9 o'clock I described or not? Since I don't know ...... before I start taking things apart and changing them to what I THINK it should be ..... is that amount of throttle control that I described normal or not?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

is that amount of control normal, the 12 to 10 to 9 o'clock I described or not?

Ayuh,.. Well,.. It's not necessarily Abnormal, but then again, their Not all the same...

Go look at some other boats,+ judge for Yourself...

 

[MokiCruiser]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

OK then ..... that gets me right back to my original question. I was told that these early controls were not the easiest to use and that a newer control would give me .... well it would give me more control. So do you or does somebody else know what other control would be a good fit for a late 70s model mercruiser outdrive mated to a Ford 302 on a SeaRay cuddy.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

Ayuh,... Pretty much Any of 'em, that accept the Merc. cable ends...

 

[ziggy]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

is that amount of control normal ..... the 12 to 10 to 9 o'clock I described or not?

sounds about like mine is. think mine is the same control your talking about.

what i feel when shifting out of n to f is what i'll describe as n to first detent does nothing, it's at about 11 o'clock. from 11 o'clock to 10 makes the shift from n to f and feels like a second detent. at about 10 o'clock i'm in fwd at idle. then 10 to maybe a little past 9 o'clock towards 8 o'clock is throttle range..

i'm on my second shifter like this, had the same one in the last boat. both operated about the same...

it sounds normal to me..

 

[MokiCruiser]

Re: Older Mercruiser Control

sounds about like mine is. think mine is the same control your talking about.

it sounds normal to me..

Well it doesn't feel normal to me .... but like I said, I'm not sure what normal should feel like.

The guy that I bought the boat from said that these were the early one shift does everything shifters and that the ones from the early to mid eighties had a much better feel to them and were easier to operate. I still think I need to explore that option.