Re: 97 Merc Force 90, shift issues
I've tried everything mentioned here.
It shifts into forward, neutral, and reverse without issue after removing the shift cable, manually operating the shift linkage, on land and in water. I've taken the cable to a marine shop where I was sold a new one. I still have the same issue when using the new shift cable.
Sometimes neutral is a little sloppy and reverse is difficult to get. Thus, there is a range of linkage position where the engine will still be in neutral and it may take more force to get reverse.
Remove the shift cable at the engine. Manually move the linkage into all three positions to be certain it is moving freely. Check where it is at full engagement and neutral. Then adjust the shift cable for the center of the neutral range.
Open the control box and check cable position. There may be two separate holes in the shift lever where the cable is now attached. If there are, use the hole furthest out to gain more shift throw.
If you have a Mercury 3000 control, you will need to pry out the center button in order to remove the control to examine it. This center button almost always breaks. Thus: if at all possible (That is, if you can reach and see behind the side where it is mounted) try to examine the position of the cable without removing the control.
All linkages were moving freely, with the exception of an occasional and unexplainable "catch" when trying to shift into reverse, sometimes it happens, sometimes not, no matter the amount of force applied or how quickly I move the control, however. This catch only happens when I'm using the shift cable. When I'm manually operating the linkage at the motor with the cable disconnected there are no catches.
The button on my Mercury 3000 control comes out easily when the control is pushed slightly into forward, it took me close to half an hour to figure out how to get that thing out without force
Inside the control box, the cable is already on the furthest set of holes, tried both now without positive results.
Important part:
The cable itself pulls into forward, then pushes into neutral and reverse, meaning the cable must be longer to push the linkage into reverse fully. Problem is, I've got a new cable now.. supposedly the same size, but it seems to be too short? It's absolutely the correct cable. It's the same that the boat was shipped out with.
Right now, the cable is "extended" as far as possible, but still lacks around 1/4 of an inch to fully push the linkage into the reverse position, and equally push to neutral.
