shift cable issue??

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Exotic4x4

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Hey guys on my 1989 Larson dc17 ran great all summer last time out the boat went into reverse just fine, now it won't go into forward gear giggled the cables and got it into forward gear and got it on the trailer, does this sound like a shift cable issue? Or is it much more severe. Boat started acting up on my 9th time out but always seemed to get in gear now it came to this the last time out read my merc manual and there is info on it but need your opinons
 
Don S

Don S

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Re: shift cable issue??

Very well could be your cable. They develop excess movement, aka slop, from wear on the inside of the cable that doesn't allow full movement of the drive in both directions.
 
Don S

Don S

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Re: shift cable issue??

red_fx4 said:
now it won't go into forward gear giggled the cables and got it into forward gear and got it on the trailer, does this sound like a shift cable issue?
Click to expand...

Pete104 said:
Interupter switch gave up?
Click to expand...

Shift interrupt system has nothing to do with going into gear, only coming out of gear.
 
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Pete104

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Re: shift cable issue??

If he couldn't get it out of reverse, he certainly couldn't put it in forward. Of course he shut the key off, went and "giggled" it & put it back on the trailer.
 
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Exotic4x4

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Re: shift cable issue??

That is how I got it to go into forward gear I shut the engine off (3.0 mercruiser) and jiggled the cables and that allowed it to go into forward gear position that's why I was leaning toward the cable being the issue, in the past I've always had the issues on different boats not wanting to go into reverse, so its the opposite senario on this boat, figured I'd double check my assumption with yall on iboats before I dropped 250$ on a cable lu oil is clean always maintained while winterizing along with the engine I don't beleive its the interupt switch because it goes in and out of gear just fine just started to act up and struggle going into forward position.
 
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Exotic4x4

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Re: shift cable issue??

My merc runs beautiful, shift interupt switch trips you can hear a fail rpm drop allowing the clutch to disengage into neutral, reason why I **** my engine off to jiggle the cable is because I don't like leaning over my distributor and coil also my belt and pulleys infront of the engine, I jiggles the lower cable and also pulled the cotter pin out and adjusted the barrel on the cable enabling me to get it into forward gear, the boat is an 89 and I'm sure it is far over due for replacing vs. Trying to adjust the slop in a worn cable , I find that its easier to do it right the first time instead of finding time to do it a second :) I watched the shift interupt switch and it is performing like it should be Rpms don't dip essay down then pick up, its a nice smooth hardly noticeable rpm drop hope this helps a few others, when a shift interupt switch isn't performing Luke it should it will ground out your spark ( just Like a kill switch) and cause your engine to die. It will restart but when you shift into a gear that switch will have a long stroker that will cause it to die, you can use a pliers and adjust it after you remove the 2 screws holding it in place.
 
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Exotic4x4

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Re: shift cable issue??

Sorry for all the typeos!!! Smartphone isn't so smart with predictive texting
 
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fishrdan

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Re: shift cable issue??

red_fx4 said:
I find that its easier to do it right the first time instead of finding time to do it a second :)
Click to expand...

Then you will want to get the genuine OEM Mercruiser/Quicksilver lower shift cable kit. It cost more than the aftermarket kits, but works better, worth the extra $$$.
 
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Pete104

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Re: shift cable issue??

You have to rethink your theory of the interupter switch.
It does not just drop a cylinder or 2, or subtly drop in idle. IT kills the engine! Very quickly, so fast the engine hardly notices
 
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