Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

[mbehlok]

Hello,

I have a 1990 Bayliner with the mercruiser 3.0L / Alpha one. I had my outdrive replaced back in November but was not able to test or start the boat due to ta bad starter. I finally got the starter replaced and the engine fired right up. My issue is that the shifter does not seem to be working. I started the boat, and even in Neutral, the prop sometimes tends to grab and start to spin. If I shift into Forward or Reverse, nothing different happens. I have tried several different posts for adjusting the shift linkage and nothing seems to work. Is it a possibility that the lower cable, by the drive may have been in the wrong position when they installed the outdrive? should I take the outdrive off and see if the cable needs to be reseated?

Any info is greatly appreciated, I'd like to take it to the river this 4th..

Thanks,

Mark

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

First thing I would do is watch the cable on the out drive and see if it moves back and forth when you move the shifter between forward/neutral/reverse.

 

[mbehlok]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

Thanks for the reply. I will need to remove the outdrive in order to see that, right? since the shifter boot covers the whole cable. or is there something I'm missing. I'm no boat mechanic by any means..

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

No, you do not need to remove the outdrive. Raise the lower unit and look up under it at the front. You will see the lever-like thing that moves back and forth. I believe they actually call the part a bell crank.

 

[mbehlok]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

Perfect, I will take a look at it 1st thing in the AM. Do you happen to have any Shifter adjustments hints? I have gone through the Manual, but not help..

 

[RJLeuwen]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

Why don't you take it back to who ever installed the lower unit and have them repair it?

Sounds like the shift lever in the bell housing (the part that the drive bolted to) is misaligned.

RJ

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

I think that when they bolted up the lower unit to the upper, they may have had the shaft on the lower that changes the gears in the wrong direction.

 

[mbehlok]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

I called them and the owner tried to walk me through a few things. The Marina I had repair it is in Daytona which is over an hour away and with gas prices, I'd almost rather fix it myself.. I was thinking that the shift lever was not ligned up correctly. I did take the outdrive off before and am kinda familiar with that procedure...

 

[mbehlok]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

I think that when they bolted up the lower unit to the upper, they may have had the shaft on the lower that changes the gears in the wrong direction.

I had the whole outdrive replaced with a refurb.. Upper and Lower.. Hopefully its just the lower cabel that is not ligned up.. Will hopefully be able to tell you tomorrow

 

[RJLeuwen]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

That usally causes a starts in gear problem and stalls when shifted issue.

If the roller on the shift lever is out of the slot in the cable slide you will get a no shift condition.

Also could be they forgot the washer on top of the lower shift shaft bushing & seal assembly when they put the 2 halves back together (if they had them apart)!

RJ

 

[mbehlok]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

That usally causes a starts in gear problem and stalls when shifted issue.

If the roller on the shift lever is out of the slot in the cable slide you will get a no shift condition.

Also could be they forgot the washer on top of the lower shift shaft bushing & seal assembly when they put the 2 halves back together (if they had them apart)!

RJ

This is sorta what is happening. It may start in neutral, but once it starts and if I rev it up at all, sometimes it will kick the prop on.
Not sure which roller you are talking about, but it could be.. I did nto think they took anything apart, except for the outdrive, but I could be wrong..
Thanks for the help..

 

[RJLeuwen]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

Ever had the lower shift cable repalced?
Could be that the outer housing has seperated from the brass crimp that holds it together, you can see that by looking at it where it comes thru the boot.

RJ

 

[mbehlok]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

Update.

Fellas, I took the outdrive off and made sure that everythign was ligned up when I reinstalled it. The cable looks fine and was moving in and out when I moved the cable manually from the engine side. Put everythign back together and still doing the same thing.. The only thing I can think of is adjustment of the shift cable. I will see if I can get a mechanic to take a look at it, hopefully I dont get robbed

Anythign else you guys can think of? It looked clean, new Gimbal bearing. I should have tried to shift it manually when I had the outdrive off, but I forgot. I may do that later on today. Is that a good test to make sure that the outdrive itself is shifting properly? Basically take the outdrive off, and then shift it usign the small lever where the shifter cable goes while turning the prop?

Thansk again...

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

Before taking the outdrive off again, try disconnecting the lower shift cable and try pulling and pushing the calbe - does it slide easily? Push the cable in while someone spins the prop by hand counterclockwise (I think! Going by memory here, not always a good thing. ) It should go in gear and the prop lock in place -it will ratchet one direction and lock in the other.

Then do the opposite. Pull on the shift cable end and have someone spin the prop in the opposite direction.

If that doesn't work, then you have problems either in the outdrive itself, or as mentioned above, perhaps they forgot the washer below the shift shaft.

 

[mbehlok]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

Update on my shifting issue..

I had a mechanic from Marine Max stop by and take a look. The outdrive, Cables, etc is working 100%. What is happening is that the Intermediate Shift Shaft is not tall enough to reach the Upper SHift Shaft. I called the place I got the outdrive from and they told me that there is most likely a washer missing on the lower shift shaft, so the intermediate is falling down and making it too short.

Now my next issue.. I am trying to tke the lower unit off so that I can add that washer, but cannot get it to come off.. I have taken the Nut by the shifter, the 2 right in front of it, The two right above the pro and the one under the silver plate at the very end of the drive. Am I missing somethign else? I did not want to beat on it too much and break something. this was supposed to be rebuilt when I got it, and it looks to be in really good shape, but what else is holding the Lower and Upper units together?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[cooter2506]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0l Alpha one, wont shift.

One allen headed bolt under trim tab(silver plate), two above cavitation plate, two under cavitation plate, one up front by shift shaft I think that is all of them some one else may chime in if I missed any