Shifting Issues

[Will Fish]

Splashed the boat on Wednesday for the season. Prior to putting her in went thru my normal safety checks, start, run to opwerating temp, compression check, no engine leaks, shifts forward neutral and reverse, and of coarse the bilge pump. All checked out fine on blocks. When the boat went in the water I couldn't shift into reverse. I had foward and neutral, but no reverse. I'm thinking not a big deal, I can adjust the lower cable via the brass barrel. So I made some slight adjustments, turning the barrel 1/2 a turn at a time and checking the shifting. It took 2-1/2 turns to obtain reverse, but then I lost forward. Go back 1/2 a turn and I got forward (not smooth and a bit of chattering) and lost reverse. So with all of my adjusting at 1/2 a turn each time, I am only able to get forward/neutral or neutral/reverse, but never forward/neutral/reverse????? It baffles me that I had this on land, but I guess under load with the water pressure things change. Is there any adjustments I should make on the upper shift cable from the controls?

Oh and the boat is a 21' cuddy cabin with an 250 inline 6 w/ MC-1 drive. no changes have been made to any of the controls or shifting system since dry docked.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Shifting Issues

Splashed the boat on Wednesday for the season. Prior to putting her in went thru my normal safety checks, start, run to opwerating temp, compression check, no engine leaks, shifts forward neutral and reverse, and of coarse the bilge pump. All checked out fine on blocks. When the boat went in the water I couldn't shift into reverse. I had foward and neutral, but no reverse. I'm thinking not a big deal, I can adjust the lower cable via the brass barrel. So I made some slight adjustments, turning the barrel 1/2 a turn at a time and checking the shifting. It took 2-1/2 turns to obtain reverse, but then I lost forward. Go back 1/2 a turn and I got forward (not smooth and a bit of chattering) and lost reverse. So with all of my adjusting at 1/2 a turn each time, I am only able to get forward/neutral or neutral/reverse, but never forward/neutral/reverse????? It baffles me that I had this on land, but I guess under load with the water pressure things change. Is there any adjustments I should make on the upper shift cable from the controls?

Oh and the boat is a 21' cuddy cabin with an 250 inline 6 w/ MC-1 drive. no changes have been made to any of the controls or shifting system since dry docked.

Ayuh,..... Odds are, the Lower shift cable is Worn out,...

The outer casin' gets a groove worn in it, resultin' in too much slop, 'n not enough travel,...
If it ain't been changed in the last 5 to 8 years, it's waayyy over due,...

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Shifting Issues

there are a few areas to have excess play in the system Control box cable, lower shift cable, shift mechanism in transom, guide wheel broken, upper shift shoe/ lower splined shaft corroded, and the shift spool.
When was the drive removed and the shift items serviced? When was the last shift cable installed?
page 1C-38 talks about the shift spool. http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6C1R3.PDF

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

lower cable was changed last spring. I had all 3 gears, but was not 100% satisfied as reverse was a bit hard. While on land I had all 3 nice and smooth. I haven't changed the upper cable in at least 6 years, but the shift plate mounted was done last year when I did the motor. I just pulled the boat and am going to do the lower again as it may be stretched since I wasnt happy shifting last year. hopefully that does it. If not I will need to look into the upper cable and the control. The control is ancient, probably original with the boat.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Shifting Issues

lower cable was changed last spring. I had all 3 gears, but was not 100% satisfied as reverse was a bit hard. While on land I had all 3 nice and smooth. I haven't changed the upper cable in at least 6 years, but the shift plate mounted was done last year when I did the motor. I just pulled the boat and am going to do the lower again as it may be stretched since I wasnt happy shifting last year. hopefully that does it. If not I will need to look into the upper cable and the control. The control is ancient, probably original with the boat.

Ayuh,.... If ya replaced the lower cable just a year ago, that probably Ain't the problem,...

Look into the points BD explains in post #3,...

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

so replacing the lower cable did not change anything. same deal fwd/neut or neut/rev, but not all 3. checked the play in the drive as indicated in the manual. play was a hair less than 1/2" so that is good. I have to now check on the remote cable.

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

I should also mention I did have all 3 gears on land but lose it once in the water again

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Shifting Issues

On land is the brass shoe facing in a straight line? Must be 12:00 not 12:30 or 1:00

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

On land is the brass shoe facing in a straight line? Must be 12:00 not 12:30 or 1:00

I'm not sure I get what you mean by brass shoe?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Shifting Issues

letter a in the right side pic

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

Yes everything was lined up when the drive was installed at 12 o'clock with the shifter in forward.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Shifting Issues

see page 1C-45 in my link.If that dosent do it, you have to remove the drive and check the shift spool play

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

So I finally have been able to get back to the boat to check this out... Everything seems to check out I removed the lower cable and shifted by hand and she's nice and smooth.. Shifted the control also nice and smooth... Connect everything and she will shift into all 3 gears.. Shift again and she grinds shift again and he's smooth again grinds????? In lost and completely confused??? It works doesn't work works doesn't work

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

So I finally have been able to get back to the boat to check this out... Everything seems to check out I removed the lower cable and shifted by hand and she's nice and smooth.. Shifted the control also nice and smooth... Connect everything and she will shift into all 3 gears.. Shift again and she grinds shift again and he's smooth again grinds????? In lost and completely confused??? It works doesn't work works doesn't work

Well I finally got it.. The shift play was at the shortest throw adjustment. When I adjusted for a l

 

[Will Fish]

Re: Shifting Issues

So I finally have been able to get back to the boat to check this out... Everything seems to check out I removed the lower cable and shifted by hand and she's nice and smooth.. Shifted the control also nice and smooth... Connect everything and she will shift into all 3 gears.. Shift again and she grinds shift again and he's smooth again grinds????? In lost and completely confused??? It works doesn't work works doesn't work

Well I finally got it.. The shift play was at the shortest throw adjustment. When I adjusted for a longer throw the upper cable exceeded the adjustment, so I replaced the upped cable made the adjustment ls and now everything is smooth as silk. Thanks for all your help