Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

[erikgreen]

Okay, now that I finally got my drive back on, I need to get the lower shift cable working. I did a search here looking for answers, but I don't see anything I didn't already try?

Here's what I've done:

0) Install new lower half, had Mercruiser shop check/clean/pressure test/seal. Installed new water pump including impeller and housing. Painted it.

1) Install new lower shift cable per Mercruiser manual.

2) Install new shift arm, bushings on the shift shaft, shift cable ends

3) Put new gaskets on the bell housing

4) Mounted the drive (thanks for the help, guys!)

5) Drive is held in forward, the shift lever is in forward, the shift shaft on the drive and the upper shaft on the bell housing are correctly meshed and pointing straight ahead.

6) Adjusted barrel on new lower shift cable at the engine so the distance to the center of the "eye" on the new end is exactly 6 inches. Attached it to the "tray" at the back of the engine.


Now I can shift into forward ok, but the drive won't go to reverse... the shift interrupt switch triggers. I tried adjusting it so it goes farther into reverse and farther into forward, no help there. I tried moving the cable with my hand, it seems to move freely.

Hmmm... I just remembered, I think the drive is still held in forward with a bungee on the prop... would that keep it from going out of forward gear? I'll check that first thing tomorrow night.

So close to being back on the water... for a couple weeks before the snow flies, anyway.

Erik

 

[jtybt]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Remove the bungee.
If you still have trouble, disconnect the lower shift cable end and manually shift verifying by turning prop.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Sounds good. I'm hoping the bungee is it.

I think I'm going to buy an engineer shaped voodoo doll and name it "Charlie" so when I feel bad about all the little fiddling bits not working right in this thing I can stick a pin in it

 

[jtybt]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Oh That's easy. I won't bother you anymore.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Oh That's easy. I won't bother you anymore.

LOL... I'm very, very, very sorry.. I totally didn't notice that your name was Charlie, and in fact I wasn't intending that to be for you at all.

I was thinking of Charlie Strang, the guy who worked at Mercury and later OMC, who invented the original design that Volvo and Mercruiser used.

Check this link: http://www.rbbi.com/folders/pat/isd.htm

I'm sure many other sterndrive owners have pulled their hair out over the "interesting" design choices Mr. Strang made way back when, and that's all I was talking about.

Erik

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Argh. Well, I tried to get it working tonight. No dice on the bungee thing, that wasn't it.

I adjusted the cable one more time, no luck. Then I removed the drive to check that the linkage was in the right spot. It was as far as I could tell.

Then I checked the drive itself, which I just paid $425 to have serviced... no reverse. Sigh.

The shaft goes straight forward, which is forward gear. About 15-20 degrees twist gets me neutral (almost... the dogs are just barely catching now and again) and there it stops... I can't turn it any farther.

So, now I'm taking it back to the dealer tomorrow in the hope that they can fix whatever's out of place/broken so I can use the drive Saturday of this weekend... I'm gonna be even more unhappy if they can't fix whatever they left broken in 24-30 hours.

Erik

 

[jtybt]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Are you shifting the 'foot' by hand to get into F/N/R?

If you can't get to each gear with the drive off....

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Are you shifting the 'foot' by hand to get into F/N/R?

If you can't get to each gear with the drive off....

Yeah, I tried manipulating the cable by hand to shift, and when that didn't work I pulled the drive and tried moving the foot by hand... no dice.

I'm not sure if it's got something still stuck in there or if something is worn and only works sometimes, but since I paid the dealer to open it up and clean out that exact part of the drive I'd assume they would have inspected it and tested shifting before returning it to me. That's what I get for assuming I guess.

At least they did say they'd work on it today and try to get it back to me in time for my weekend boating... I'm supposed to run the boat as a safety vessel for a sailboard/kite board race.

Erik

 

[ziggy]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

for something like yer incountering, myself. i'd seperate the lower from the upper. then shift the lower so i know it shifts. then with the shift cable disconnected from the shift plate, i'd try moving it. getting in and out of the boat. being sure that the coupler is in fact staight fwd when in fwd. then move it the other way and see if the coupler is turned far enough to port that i think it'd be in rev. being sure it moves freely. then i'd hook up the shift cable to the shift plate. same thing. see if the coupler moves proper for fwd and neu. (half way in between) and rev.
if all is well, i'd reassembel and try again. don't forget the washer on top of the lower shift shaft. that causes shift issues.

don't know what shift shaft ya replaced. but if it's the one in the bellhousing. who's part did you use? glm? i tried that mfg for a shift shaft. plaine sucked. couldn't even move it by hand when installed. by itself. a mercruiser part fixed that.

for sure on confirming the lower stays in fwd. the bungee trick is even recomended in a s/m somewhere, i read it. but it's super easy to the lower to get out of fwd. touch the prop when it's locked into fwd. and it'll likly slip out of fwd.

best i can do... good luck..

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

for something like yer incountering, myself. i'd seperate the lower from the upper. then shift the lower so i know it shifts. then with the shift cable disconnected from the shift plate, i'd try moving it. getting in and out of the boat. being sure that the coupler is in fact staight fwd when in fwd. then move it the other way and see if the coupler is turned far enough to port that i think it'd be in rev. being sure it moves freely. then i'd hook up the shift cable to the shift plate. same thing. see if the coupler moves proper for fwd and neu. (half way in between) and rev.
if all is well, i'd reassembel and try again. don't forget the washer on top of the lower shift shaft. that causes shift issues.

That's pretty much what I've done... verified the cable throw distance, from fwd (all the way out) to against the stops/rev (all the way in) by pulling on the cable with my hands. If I install it in the tray the shift lever goes fwd and comes back to neutral with some resistance, but attempting to go into reverse just makes a "click" from the interrupt switch triggering.

The big thing is the drive's shift shaft (sticks out of the upper half) won't turn far enough to even come all the way out of FWD when it's off the boat. It's like the mechanism in the lower half is blocked or stuck there.

don't know what shift shaft ya replaced. but if it's the one in the bellhousing. who's part did you use? glm? i tried that mfg for a shift shaft. plaine sucked. couldn't even move it by hand when installed. by itself. a mercruiser part fixed that.

I didn't replace the shaft actually... I replaced the two bushings on the shaft in the bell housing with a newer style, to get that off I had to split the arm at the top and replace it. I also replaced the lower shift cable with the new style teflon cable, including the ends. The cable was pre-cut to the right length.

Still haven't heard from the dealer/shop. I'll call 'em back in a couple hours and see what's happening.

Erik

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Another "no reverse" - pre-alpha MCM260

Heard back from them this morning on the way to work.

Turns out the drive slipped out of forward during reassembly and the mechanic hadn't noticed.

They turned it around in less than 24 hours and there was no charge for the rework.

I haven't attached it to the boat yet, but so far I'm optimistic.

Since people mostly complain here about bad shops, I think I'll share the name of a good one. Supreme Marine, in Minneapolis.

Erik