Not another Shifter cable Thread?

[blitz491]

sorry yes it shifts by hand, and Im pretty sure the cable was frozen due to all the corrosion. and using my crappy fish scale it pulls about 2.2 lbs from the transom side and right around 2 from engine side

 

[blitz491]

UGHHHH Just got notified insteadof my alignment tool arriving today, it not coming until July 3rd!!!

 

[ab59]

What part of Ca do you live in ? Are you in the North country ?

 

[blitz491]

Fresno area (actually Friant but close enough)

 

[blitz491]

I found some paperwork on my boat and a receipt for repairs that changed the bellows and bearing 2 years ago? and in boat years for my boat 2.6 hours ago according to the receipt and my hour meter!
Im not really worried about that but as I was doing some research about using the alignment tool, I am curious if I only changed the shift cable and not remove anything else would I even need to realign the motor?

what could of moved or caused anything to need to be realigned? or is this something that should be done when realigning the out drive?

 

[blitz491]

I am not following this height adjustment video by Michael Tromer very well? it seems like it was edited and it jumps to talking about the old school versus new school plate and the different in heights, then he talks about shifting it into gear and remeasuring it but doesnt mention what that height should be?

Im going to look at the manual or elsewhere for a better example

 

[ab59]

I do not find the Rhomer videos to be a good source of information but that's just me . I don't like a lot of unnecessary information about things I'm a much more straight forward kind of learner . Some of his stuff is wrong and some of his stuff is the hardest way of doing things , IMHO.
Lou C. posted a picture of how to measure the shift rod that is pretty good . If you can find it on the web in a clearer picture it is easier to see. Pretty simple . ON my 88 I took the corrosion block off the lower and measured from the shoulder to the top of the rod. If you lay a straight edge across the top of the rod it makes it easier to measure . I don't remember the exact measurement I think it may be 7 13/64 ths. or something like that , it is posted in several articles here.

 

[kpg7121]

I found some paperwork on my boat and a receipt for repairs that changed the bellows and bearing 2 years ago? and in boat years for my boat 2.6 hours ago according to the receipt and my hour meter!
Im not really worried about that but as I was doing some research about using the alignment tool, I am curious if I only changed the shift cable and not remove anything else would I even need to realign the motor?

what could of moved or caused anything to need to be realigned? or is this something that should be done when realigning the out drive?

When you're reinstalling the drive you'll know if it needs an alignment or not. Line the u-joint shaft straight into the gimbal bearing & push the drive straight forward. If it fights you & you can't send it home then check your alignment. You may need a screwdriver to rotate the u-joint shaft in case it binds on you. Don't forget to grease the splines on your drivevshaft, you don't want to run that dry. I used spline grease, if you don't have any on hand any Merc dealer should have it in stock.

 

[ab59]

JD -- wait until you get the alignment tool and check the alignment by putting grease on the vertical end of the tool . Be careful to not touch the end of the tool against the gimbal bearing and push it in until it stops. Then pull it out . With flashlight in hand , look inside the bellows and through the bearing and look for a grease mark on the face of the flywheel receiver , that is if it does not just line up and go in . grease around the end of the tool to check basic alignment and look at the spline marks all the way around to see if they are even or heavy on one side and light on the other , this would mean that you need to adjust your engine mounts to accommodate the problem. On my boat there are wooden shims under the mounts and can compress and or rot and cause the need for periodic adjustment . The tool should go in and slide out easily when in line with spline marks even all the way around the tool.
If you get in a hurry and put the OD back on without checking it you will wonder and worry about it every time you here a noise . A little time now could mean years of trouble free service .
A.B.

 

[blitz491]

so I ran into town earlier to grab some locktite and grease and decided to check my mailbox on the way back in....open my box and there is the key to the big box in there so I open it and Bam my alignment tool kit is here? checked Amazon and it says delivery scheduled July 3rd still? boy i'm not sure to be happy or mad? good thing I checked but how long has it been there I haven't checked since Thursday? so it looks like its GAME on tomorrow morning!

Thanks for the tips on the alignment fellows, Im going to search for the info that Lou C has posted read through it, print it and get r done and if Im lucky ill be on the water in the afternoon
John

 

[blitz491]

That didn’t go as planned?
quick question, outdrive off boat suspended in air shift rod in neutral prop spins both ways, lift rod prop spins one way, back nuetral spins both wayspush shift rod down won’t do down into gear? Should I be turning the prop to align dog gears in that direction if it’s fine the other direction?

 

[Lou C]

When you try shifting it with the drive off by the shift rod, you should have someone turn the driveshaft (clockwise as you face it) or spin the prop. I have not tried mine in a long time, I think it locked in both ways, in either gear. If you are not turning the d/s or the prop, the clutch dogs may not engage.

 

[ab59]

JD-- yep , the prop should lock both ways . At least mine does. Are you keeping pressure towards the gear while turning the Prop , or , like Lou C said , the drive line? Mine usually won't go all the way into gear unless I am pushing towards whatever gear I want and rotating the drive then it locks up tight both directions . Let us know what your doing. We like lots of Pictures as well .
A.B.

 

[blitz491]

yes I will load some photos but for some reason my phone saves them too big to upload here so I have to re save and reload

Im going to have get a fan or something to turn the prop while I shift it, to be clear in a few videos I saw with the the drive off he was able to move the shift rod by hand from neutral to reverse and the turn the the drive shaft (U-joint) and watch the prop turn,,then he grabbed the shift rod again by hand back to neutral and then to drive and again spin the shaft by hand.

I understand what you mean by applying pressure and having someone turn the prop to engage the gears, but does that still apply with outdrive off the boat? also if Im able to do this myself by hand in FWD which I assume engages the dog gear wouldn't the gear be engaged still to do the same in reverse? I am physically unable to push the shift rod into Reverse but I am also alone right now trying this so let me call my neighbor over to spin the prop and apply pressure really quick and Ill update you with some photos

 

[blitz491]

That worked it went in both directions

 

[Lou C]

Yep it makes no difference either on or off the boat...with clutch dogs either the driveshaft must be turning, or the prop shaft either one will get the FWD and REV gears turning which is necessary for the clutch dogs to engage. If you don't turn either what usually happens it will engage in one gear but not the other.

 

[blitz491]

exactly what happened Thanks

Hi LouC Mr ab59 referred me to a post above from you referring to a diagram of the shift height adjustment< I searched the Title and your name but did not find it could you share that with me if possible?

Thanks
John

 

[Lou C]

hope you can read this.....

 

[Lou C]

The dimension did not come out but I’ll look it up later. This software is getting worse takes forever to post!

 

[Lou C]

7-13/64ths" or 18.3cm
I've said this before but I'll say it again...keep in mind I am old school self taught...started wrenching in the '70s...you all who are trying to get your Cobras right...please...get an OMC shop manual...they are out there...it was the first thing I bought when I got this boat...about 17 years ago...