Shift Cable Issues= Alpha One Gen1

[Fiat4Fun]

So, I thought I would start a new thread, since I am second guessing myself. I have 1986 Alpha One, Gen 1, that I replace the water pump in the outdrive and all the bellows, along with the lower shift cable. I have used the manual and the great wealth of information on the forum. But I can't seem to get the cable working correctly. Here is where I am at.
I put it together the first time, could not get it in reverse. So I took the outdrive on and off and also adjusted the cables a few times. I even split the drive to check the shoe was not off by one tooth. Could not get it right. So yesterday, I took the outdrive off and I can move the outdrive in and out of gear, no problem, with the shoe facing forward in forward gear.
When I reassemble the out drive, and push the lower shift cable in to get my measurement of 6". the outdrive is no longer if forward gear, the prop shaft is locked in both directions. It seems like the shift slide either disengages from the roller? Almost like the cable is too long. If I put the outdrive on, I can not shift the drive by moving the cable? Seems like I should be able to do that? With the drive off, the cable moves the shift slide without any issues.
I thought if the drive was in forward, and the shoes line up, I should not be able to move the cable inward, since I thought the drive is in forward gear.

I also read that when attaching the rod onto the new cable at the motor, I should screw it in all the way, then back out two turns, then put the lock nut on. I have not tried that..........
Any advice is appreciated, since I feel I am chasing my tail a bit.........
Thanks

 

[turand]

I also have a 1986 140 (181cu) Mercruiser, Alpha 1 Gen 1 and did a similar project this spring (unis, bellows, gimbal bearing, shift cable, etc.)

These videos were invaluable to me for navigating the lower shift cable replacement.

and even though you aren't using an SEI aftermarket, this video performed similar steps:

I personally needed to nearly bottom out the rear anchor pin to engage the reverse gear.

 

[Fiat4Fun]

Thanks so much for the links. I have watched these videos and many others, but I must of done something wrong, When I push in the cable after installing the drive, I think it disengages the out drive. With the outdrive removed, pushing the cable all the way in disengages the slide, maybe by 1/2" . I feel like I understand how it should go together, but maybe I have the wrong Mercruiser cable or slide? I don't see another part number. I ordered 865436A02
Maybe I bent something or have the shoe off one tooth?

 

[Bt Doctur]

screw the guide in all the way and tighten the locknut
Adjust the slide and the arm with the roller so that the shoe is in a strraight line, have someone hold it like that while you install the slide inside the boat making sure the cable is visable in the small hole in front between the stud hole and locknut sleeve. Adjust by rotating the brass barrel until the correct measurement is reached
ON THE DRIVE: make sure that the lower shoe is rotated fully clockwise, this in Fwd, neutral is CCW , and Rev is fully CCW

 

[Fiat4Fun]

Thanks for the advice. I have rechecked the slide cable and the guide is all the way in and tight. I think I am going to split the drive again. The drive goes into all three positions when it's out, but won't with the drive is attached to the bell housing. When it's lock in forward gear, it looks like it's not perfectly straight. so it might be going out of forward when I slide the drive on. Not sure what it would look like if it's off one tooth......

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Could the stainless steel washer that sits over the shift shaft on the lower half be missing?

 

[Fiat4Fun]

I will check that, but it looks like the shoe fits together. If the washers missing, I would think that the shift shaft would not go together.
But will check to be sure. Thanks for the idea!

 

[Bt Doctur]

in what direction are you turning the shoe for Fwd?

 

[Fiat4Fun]

Looking down on the outdrive out of the bell housing, counter clockwise
I turn in a little bit clockwise, it goes into neutral, and a bit further, it seems to lock in reverse.....

 

[Bt Doctur]

this is approx neutral, with it facing you ,it is in fwd all the way to your right is reverse

 

[Bt Doctur]

 

[Fiat4Fun]

Cool that is very helpful. Heading to shop to work on it shortly. I will also check to see if the brass shoe is on backwards and if the washer is missing.
Thanks again for the advice....... It just seems like when I push the lower cable in to get my measurement of 6", I am taking it out of gear........

 

[Fiat4Fun]

Ok, I split the drive again, the washer is there and the drive has the shoe in the right place, since if it was off one tooth, it would not align in forward gear. Now I am really reaching for answers. I am now thinking that I did not use the Mercruiser Slide with the new Mercruiser cable? I am wondering if the previous cable was an aftermarket. Is that possible? The two slides look different. I have attached a few picture below, Any thoughts?? In seems like they are the same, since the allen head screw goes in the same depth. Feels like I need to cut the cable length down so that when I push in the cable, the bell housing shoe is straight when the cable at the motor is pushed in?

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

So my question is, when the cable is pushed in to engage forward, what stops the cable? is it the slide bottoming out in the drive? or maybe the lower unit stops the cable. Is the slide length the same between the two from the center where the roller sits to the aft end where the cable enters? Every photo I see of a shift cable has a slide that looks like the one that's separate in your photo. I'd switch the old slide over to your new cable.

That slide has that funky top piece at the top, I wonder if it is hitting something in the drive when pushed in and causing the roller arm to dislocate. It looks like you don't have the safety wire twisted on the end of the set screw.

 

[Fiat4Fun]

So my question is, when the cable is pushed in to engage forward, what stops the cable? is it the slide bottoming out in the drive? or maybe the lower unit stops the cable. Is the slide length the same between the two from the center where the roller sits to the aft end where the cable enters? Every photo I see of a shift cable has a slide that looks like the one that's separate in your photo. I'd switch the old slide over to your new cable.

That slide has that funky top piece at the top, I wonder if it is hitting something in the drive when pushed in and causing the roller arm to dislocate. It looks like you don't have the safety wire twisted on the end of the set screw.

Yes, I did remove the safety wire, because I wanted to check the depth of the new vs old. I am going to pull the inner core out and try the other shift slider.

 

[Fiat4Fun]

I did switch out the shift slider, and verified that the lower cable is moving the drive into fwd, neutral and reverse. I did the cable adjustment, and could not move the throttle handle into reverse. I know the lower cable moves the drive into and out of gear, now need to figure out why the handle won't go to reverse to the first detent. I can't actually remember moving the handle to reverse with out having the motor running.... I did adjust the lower cable up and down in the slot, and it did not make any difference. A bit frustrated, but one step forward. Any advice as I move onto the next realm of repair....

 

[nola mike]

Did you check out the shift cavity of the drive? Sometimes it can fill up with schmutz and keep the slide from moving forward into the cavity.

 

[Fiat4Fun]

I did, I actually but the new one inside to make sure it was greased and moved easily. I think the upper cable adjustment is the problem now, since I can shift through the gears with the lower cable from on top of the motor

 

[Fiat4Fun]

Just an update, since I feel like I am chasing shadows now....
I replaced the shift slider with the other unit, and it seemed to go back together right. It "Appears" that I can select gears from the cable from up at the motor. But I can't get the throttle to go into reverse when I hook up the upper and lower cable. When they are disconnected, everything moves smoothly.

So, my question is:
1. Is it possible that when I put the lower and upper unit together, that the lower was not in forward gear? No question that the shoe is facing the right way when I put on the drive, and I tested the drive to make sure it was going into each gear before installing the drive onto the bell housing.
2. Can the upper cable be adjusted differently to allow for more travel to reach reverse? I don't get there when I do the adjustments as per all the videos I have watched.

I don't something changed outside of the work I have done. I thought maybe I need a new upper cable, but can't understand why that would of gone bad......
Any suggestions would be helpful
Thanks

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

If you can shift forward, neutral and reverse on the drive by turning the shift shaft after they were mated.... and also at the engine end of the lower shift cable, the upper and lower were mated together. That is not the problem.

Did you measure how much play there is in the drive unit shift system?
Should have 9/16" or less of play in the lower cable with everything installed from the lower shift cable down to the drive.

The remote control and forward shift cable travel from full WOT forward to full WOT reverse must not be less than 2-7/8" or more than 3-1/8".

So by changing the shift slide back to the old one it no longer shifts out of gear when pushing in on forward?

Did you try to move the end of the lower shift cable higher in the slot to increase travel to engage reverse?