Shift Issue

[gvarney13]

Good evening again,

I have another issue. I am having a problem shifting from forward to neutral. I have to put it in reverse, then put it in neutral and I am also having some resistance on the shifter. Sometimes I can wiggle the shifter and it will hit neutral.

Any ideas

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Shift Issue

You need to replace your lower shift cable.......​

 

[gvarney13]

Re: Shift Issue

How difficult is that?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Shift Issue

Not too hard, but you will need to remove the drive & you will need to either purchase the special shift cable socket ($20 or so) or make one......
Here is a free link to manual number six for your drive......
Click on the lettered sections on page seven to download the section that you want to view........
In this case section 1 & 4A.........

 

[Don S]

Re: Shift Issue

You probably have a problem with a shift interrupt switch or a bad cable between the helm and the engine. If the lower cable (engine to drive) was stiff, the engine would die because the shift interrupt switch would be held activated.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Shift Issue

If you shut the engine off & it will come right out of gear easily then the problem is most likely what Don S suggests.......
You can test the switch by depressing it slightly with the engine running in neutral.....
If it won't kill the engine then you will need to test the switch itself & the connections......
The good news is that you probably don't need a shift cable......​

 

[pigrge]

Re: Shift Issue

I have the SAME exact problem on mine. But mine also, when you go to shift from nuetral to forward or nuetral to reverse, it grind then slams into gear. But also when going from forward to nuetral most of the time it gets right to the point of the shift interrupt switch and it kills the engine. and then you still have to fight to get it to nuetral. The guy who had the boat before me said he messed around with the shift adjustments for over three hours in his driveway, so I am thinking he screwed something up. Or should I just bite the bullet and pull the drive. I have to replace my exhaust bellows anyway! What do you guys think? I think the original poster and I are in the exact same boat!!! So buddy, I feel your pain!

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Shift Issue

I have the SAME exact problem on mine. But mine also, when you go to shift from nuetral to forward or nuetral to reverse, it grind then slams into gear. But also when going from forward to nuetral most of the time it gets right to the point of the shift interrupt switch and it kills the engine. and then you still have to fight to get it to nuetral. The guy who had the boat before me said he messed around with the shift adjustments for over three hours in his driveway, so I am thinking he screwed something up. Or should I just bite the bullet and pull the drive. I have to replace my exhaust bellows anyway! What do you guys think? I think the original poster and I are in the exact same boat!!! So buddy, I feel your pain!

I think you need a lower shift cable.....
He probably tried to adjust the stiffness out & it don't work that way....
Pulling the drive ain't that big a deal & ya better get used to it if you are gonna do your own PM......
You dont need to pull the drive to do the exhaust bellows anyway.....

 

[pigrge]

Re: Shift Issue

I think you need a lower shift cable.....
He probably tried to adjust the stiffness out & it don't work that way....
Pulling the drive ain't that big a deal & ya better get used to it if you are gonna do your own PM......
You dont need to pull the drive to do the exhaust bellows anyway.....

Yeah I had a 470 motor that I redid the exhaust bellows on without pulling the drive, but from the other maintenace issues that have been ignored over time with this boat, I figure that I might as well pull the drive and replace the u-joint bellows and exhaust as well as perform any pm that should be done down there. Thanks for the input though!

BTW does anyone have the link for adjusting those cables after repair work has been done? thanks!

 

[pigrge]

Re: Shift Issue

I just read on www.mercstuff.com that I had to drill out a part of my Pre-Alpha outdrive to accept the new lower shift cables is that true?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Shift Issue

I just read on www.mercstuff.com that I had to drill out a part of my Pre-Alpha outdrive to accept the new lower shift cables is that true?

If it has never been modified, yes.........
The old style screws in from the bow end, the new style from the aft end.......