Re: Mercruiser 5.0L V8 Grinding noise when trying to gently shift in to forward gear
If it was fine before, but now doing this, I'd bet your lower shift cable is letting go and needs to be replaced. That's exactly what started happening on my boat (also a 1990 Alpha one). I replaced the original lower shift cable, problem solved. Cable was bad/binding just on the transom side of where it screws into the outdrive housing... If your shift cable has never been changed, I'd say now is the time to do it. The updated part number from mercruiser is a better quality cable than the 1990 original. It would be easier to route the new cable through the transom assembly when the motor is out. Buy the mercruiser "kit" and not just the cable by itself. The kit includes all the parts you'd need (including a new bellows/boot for the cable and the gaskets for R & R the outdrive). Locally the kit was $84 which seems like good deal. Not too often that you can say that about buying parts at a dealership! If the motor's out etc, and you're doing the shift cable, I'd probably go the whole 9 yards and replace all bellows while you're wrenching. Then when you're done, you know it's all new. In that case you might be better off to buy a different kit and purchase the cable on it's own... (?) Something to ask the parts guy.
Good luck.
