87 mercruiser 260/5.7 shift cable routing Alpha one gen 1

[djmakko]

Does anybody have a diagram on how to route lower shift cable, from drive thru engine shift plate,? is driving me crazy i can get the right adjustment , I've followed all Chris video to the detail for the adjustment but i cant get it right , i have done a complete service , bellows, senders, impeller, and new shift cable, on the drive i've cleaned cavity for the slider there is no foreign matter there, shift shaft turns nice and easy, there's no bents, when i ran the cable thru i made sure prop was locked in forward gear , i measured the travel as chris indicated 9/16 , checked , i pulled by hand and it was smooth, but when i installed it on the plate got really stiff , and been stiff since and the interrupter switch get stuck either top or bottom wont fall in to the V grove or better said won't stay there when shifting,
Im at lost so im thinking maybe i didnt route the cable right.

 

[alldodge]

Re: 87 mercruiser 260/5.7 shift cable routing Alpha one gen 1

Sounds like since you followed all of Chris'es stuff, Chris should be the one to anser the question. In reading your post I don't see anything which stands out. PM Chris and ask for assistance

 

[djmakko]

Re: 87 mercruiser 260/5.7 shift cable routing Alpha one gen 1

Thanks Dodge, thats what driving me crazy , all seems to fit and nothing stands out. but there's something wrong,

 

[NHGuy]

Re: 87 mercruiser 260/5.7 shift cable routing Alpha one gen 1

I have rerouted mine. I go under the motor and loop back up between the back of the starboard head and the exhaust y pipe, then to the shift plate. It's a big loop with no hard turns. When I did it the first time I had a hard turn upward, just where the cable enters the boat, that gave me a lot of friction.
When you do that disconnect the battery,you will be too close to the starter!

 

[djmakko]

Re: 87 mercruiser 260/5.7 shift cable routing Alpha one gen 1

When I did it the first time I had a hard turn upward, just where the cable enters the boat, that gave me a lot of friction.

This is exactly what i did and it is right now, I'd try the way you said and hope for the best.

 

[achris]

Re: 87 mercruiser 260/5.7 shift cable routing Alpha one gen 1

Hi DJ,

Didn't respond to this as by the time I saw it already 4 people had answered. I like to offer assistance, not just 'jump on the band-wagon' as it were.. Hope you understand...

Ok.. I checked all the manuals related to your engine, and nothing about shift cable routing. But I KNOW there is a diagram in the Gen II manuals, so here it is. As long as you have the shift plate mounted on the inside of the starboard exhaust elbow, this should be the right routing. If the shift plate is somewhere else, let me know and I'll see what I can dig up....

Chris.........
BTW, thanks for the vote of confidence..

 

[achris]

Re: 87 mercruiser 260/5.7 shift cable routing Alpha one gen 1

... but when i installed it on the plate got really stiff ....

Did you make sure there is enough 'play' in the grub-screw in the end of the slide to allow the slide to turn freely on the cable? Book says turn the grub-screw until it contact the cable, then back it off 1/8 turn, then wire-lock it....