How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

[barko]

Hello everyone,
My boat is an 18' 1977 bowrider fiberform with 470 mercruiser and MC-1 outdrive/sterndrive.

Here's my issue, when I stored the boat last fall I removed the sterndrive/outdrive. I removed the drive and put first the shift into FORWARD before the removal.

During the winter time I re-condition my drive by changing all the seals and O-rings for both upper and lower. I did this successfully no leaks and no issues at all.

Now it's spring 2014 and I have the boat back. I was starting to put back the sterndrive and it won't go through. I noticed that the upper shift shaft is not lined up to the lower shift shaft. It's off a little bit to the right making the lower shift shaft not to slide.

I'm just wondering How and Where I should be looking on to adjust the upper shift shaft to make it slide to the lower shift shaft.

Appreciate your help.

 

[achris]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

When you say it was a 'little off', how much off? The shoe needs to point straight forward when the drive is in forward gear.... If it doesn't, the intermediate shift shaft may be one spline tooth off from the lower shift shaft...

 

[stonyloam]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

Ah shift shaft problems, must be spring. OK, first does the bottom of the upper ss point straight fore and aft? Assuming that it does, turn the top of the intermediate shift shaft as far as you can clockwise (do not force), turn the prop counterclockwise and it should lock. When it does bungee around the prop to hold it in place, look at the top of the intermediate shift sheft. Does it point straight ahead and match the bottom of the upper ss? If not chris is right the gearcase was probably in reverse (should have been in forward) when you put the upper and lower together. So, drop the lower, turn the lower ss (short splined shaft) all the way clockwise, turn the prop ccw till it locks and bungee to hold it locked, you are now in forward, put it back together making sure that the shoe points straight ahead, and you should be good to go.

 

[barko]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

Thanks guys for your reply's I appreciate it very well. Super!

I found out that I made a mistake during the storage of the boat. As I learn this things and trying to figure it out, I found out that It was not exactly in the forward position (shift handle is in shift forward but not engage:facepalm.

I followed what you described and it works for me and everything is now in order.

You rock guys!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

Stony, cant wait for the "but I winterized it according to....................................................How can the block be cracked."

 

[stonyloam]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

Yeah unfortunatly can't do much to help those folks:facepalm: I do appreciate my 470 this time of year, anyway before I start it.

 

[barko]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

Stony, cant wait for the "but I winterized it according to....................................................How can the block be cracked."

No worries guys about the winterization and there's no issue on that. I started the engine and everything is fine.
As long as I know what I'm doing and you people are always here who answer and help out. I feel confident.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

Didn't mean you (well maybe the shifter LOL) but this is the time of year that the folks that replaced their impellers, run into shift problems (put together with gearcase in reverse, rather than forward, easy mistake to make) and the guys that watched the you tube videos and winterized with antifreeze WITHOUT DRAINING THE BLOCKS FIRST are seeing that sometimes it does not work:facepalm:. Will be seeing lots of those posts for the several weeks.

 

[barko]

Re: How to align the upper shift shaft to the lower shift shaft of MC-1

No worries, keep up the good job!!!