mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

[sti1471]

It is time to get the boat out on the water again.

Last fall I had some issues with shifting on my boat. it would go into reverse but not forward. after adjusting the cable it will go into forward and not reverse. Anyways, after measuring slop, and adjusting the cables, and brass barrels and everything else the problem is still there. However I think I might have found the issue but I want to make sure.

At the end of the shift cable in the bell house there is the "Shift Slide". This connects to the "shift Arm" which moves the shafts. (I know you all know this already, but I just am tying to be as clear as possible). Anyways, when I grip the shift slide with my thumb and index finger, I and slide the shift slide backwards and forwards, there appears to be "loose" movement as if it is not fully secured onto the cable or something. The movement is not moving the cable itself at all, it appears as though the shift slide is gliding back and forth about 1/8" give or take.

At the same time I noticed that the Shift arm has a pin with a black poly bushing or something that rolls with the shift slide in the groove. After looking at the bushing, it has warn, high and low spots from what looks like "scrapes or grind marks". Also worth noting is the shift slide has wear marks in the grooves where the shift arms contacts the shift slide, like it is wearing the metal away a little near the point tips.

Could this be the cause of my shift problem? When I adjust the cable, it goes into drive it will not reach reverse. However it appears it is just shy of engaging reverse. I am wondering if this slop in the shift slide, with the warn down bushing, and slide edges could be the excess play that is screwing things up?

a local shop in town has a new shift slide I can go get. Can I replace the shift slide without pulling the shift cable from the boat?

 

[Don S]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

At the end of the shift cable in the bell house there is the "Shift Slide". This connects to the "shift Arm" which moves the shafts. (I know you all know this already, but I just am tying to be as clear as possible). Anyways, when I grip the shift slide with my thumb and index finger, I and slide the shift slide backwards and forwards, there appears to be "loose" movement as if it is not fully secured onto the cable or something. The movement is not moving the cable itself at all, it appears as though the shift slide is gliding back and forth about 1/8" give or take.

The shift slide is supposed to turn freely, and there is a slight amount of end play. It even explains how to adjust it in the service manual.

But that is not your problem. When a cable wears a groove on the inside of the cable, it allows extra movement which keeps it from going full travel.
You need a new cable. What drive do you have?????

 

[sti1471]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

I have an MC-1.

However the grooves I saw are not on the cable itself, it is on the roller on the shift arm, and on the shift slide where the shift arm roller contacts the shift slide.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

It is time to get the boat out on the water again.

Last fall I had some issues with shifting on my boat. it would go into reverse but not forward. after adjusting the cable it will go into forward and not reverse. Anyways, after measuring slop, and adjusting the cables, and brass barrels and everything else the problem is still there. However I think I might have found the issue but I want to make sure.

At the end of the shift cable in the bell house there is the "Shift Slide". This connects to the "shift Arm" which moves the shafts. (I know you all know this already, but I just am tying to be as clear as possible). Anyways, when I grip the shift slide with my thumb and index finger, I and slide the shift slide backwards and forwards, there appears to be "loose" movement as if it is not fully secured onto the cable or something. The movement is not moving the cable itself at all, it appears as though the shift slide is gliding back and forth about 1/8" give or take.

At the same time I noticed that the Shift arm has a pin with a black poly bushing or something that rolls with the shift slide in the groove. After looking at the bushing, it has warn, high and low spots from what looks like "scrapes or grind marks". Also worth noting is the shift slide has wear marks in the grooves where the shift arms contacts the shift slide, like it is wearing the metal away a little near the point tips.

Could this be the cause of my shift problem? When I adjust the cable, it goes into drive it will not reach reverse. However it appears it is just shy of engaging reverse. I am wondering if this slop in the shift slide, with the warn down bushing, and slide edges could be the excess play that is screwing things up?

a local shop in town has a new shift slide I can go get. Can I replace the shift slide without pulling the shift cable from the boat?

No... the drive end of the shift cable has a permanent ball on the end which is under the allen screw, which is held in place with the safety wire.. You must remove the inner core shift wire completely out of the boat to remove the shift slide. You will have to unscrew that allen to remove the cable. That allen screw has years of corrosion on it.


The new lower shift cable comes with a new shift slide. If your going to get into it.... don't do it half way now..... then half way again..... half way thru the season. :facepalm: Unless you tell us your lower shift cable is less than say... 5-years old.


The shift cable has been redesigned since the original MC-1 was born, now they thread into the bellhousing from the aft end instead of the bow end. Not sure which style you currently have, as yours may have changed over by now.


The Shift Shaft bushing has also been redesigned. It is below the shift arm your referring to in the exhaust cavity of the bellhousing. The bushing has a seal built into it which is better than the small original one.



Here is a link to the parts:

Lower shift cable kit: (Quicksilver #19543T2)
Mallory Kit, Shift Cable 9-72100 - iboats

Bell housing bushing kit: (Quicksilver # 23-805041A 2)
Bell Housing Bushing Kit for Mercruiser 23-805041A2, GLM 87561 - Sierra 18-2622 - iboats

Picture of the upgraded bushings installed (photo by Fishermark)


Shift arm/ with allen screw: (Quicksilver # 45518A2)
Shift Arm for Mercruiser 45518A2 45518A3, GLM 21140 - Sierra 18-2161 - iboats

These links are for Iboats pages, unfortunately they don't list Quicksilver parts so I gave you those numbers as well.

 

[Don S]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

DO NOT use an aftermarket shift cable. mallory is the worst, and the sierra is only marginally better. Get the OEM cable, they are teflon coated and last a lot longer for only a few dollars more.

 

[sti1471]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

Great,

thank for the replies guys..

Does anyone know of a video, or a article on replacing the shift cable on this boat? I am sure this procedure is in the manual, but can anyone tell me what page it is on? I only have a PDF version that does not have an index?

I just wish I knew for sure that it was the shift cable that needs replacement. from measuring the slop of the cable, it measured at 5/8" of slop. is that too much?

 

[Don S]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

A shift cable is not something you will find an accurate video on, if you did it would probably have a lot of mistakes in it. Like 90% of the repair videos do.

What year MC-1 drive do you have. You have to understand this is not a 1 page job, and a lot of steps with the proper tools needs to be used, it is NOT a quick easy job.

 

[sti1471]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

Yeah I figured it is not an easy job.

If the new cable installs from the aft side, how do I convert my boat to use the new style?

 

[Don S]

Re: mercruiser sterndrive shift cable help

Cable entering from the aft is the new style. When the cable comes if from the boat side (front) it's the old style.

What is the year and the serial number of your drive?