Shift cable question

[cuda67bnl]

Tried searching but couldn't find the answer.....
I have a new to me boat. 88 model, mercruiser 5.0 and alpha one drive. Shift interrupt switch isn't being triggered. Seems the cables have too much slop to trigger it? I've tried adjusting them from directions I've found on the net, to no avail. Haven't had a chance to get a manual yet. Is there an online manual somewhere? Can anyone tell me how much play should be in the upper and lower shift cables? I made a quick video to try and show what I'm referring to. Any ideas or solutions would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtxKnm6rwNU

 

[Bondo]

Re: Shift cable question

Shift interrupt switch isn't being triggered.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,....
You do know that, that switch Only works, with a load on the prop, as in, comin' Out of gear, In the water...

Other than that, if ya don't know it's History,... Replace the lower shift cable....

Good time to do the bellows too...

 

[Don S]

Re: Shift cable question

Have you run the boat yet? On muffs and in the water? Are you having a problem, if so what is the problem? If not, why are you messing with it?

 

[cuda67bnl]

Re: Shift cable question

Bond-o, thanks for the quick reply. I read that it only worked in the water, but it hasn't been working at all so I've been trying to determine why. This morning I discovered that the little metal arm with the roller on the switch itself was bent the wrong way, and I fixed that. While checking some other stuff in the yard today I noticed that the cables didn't seem to be triggering it, so thought I'd ask.

Don, I've been running the boat quite a bit since I bought it. The shift interrupt hasn't been working, hence why I'm messing with it.......

 

[Don S]

Re: Shift cable question

When you are running on muffs, if you activate the switch by hand, will the engine die?

 

[cuda67bnl]

Re: Shift cable question

Yes, the switch works by hand. As I stated earlier, the metal arm wouldn't depress the switch until I rebent it today, so maybe everything will work now. Though I still don't understand how being in the water will allow the cables to bump the switch.......

 

[Don S]

Re: Shift cable question

Read this thread, it may help explain how and why the system is there.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=1930449#post1930449

 

[cuda67bnl]

Re: Shift cable question

I understand why it's there, as well as how it's supposed to work. I just don't see how the "y" is tripped when the boat is in the water but not on land. Seems to me the cable has to bump the "y" to trigger the switch. What am I not seeing?

 

[Pete104]

Re: Shift cable question

The PROP has no load on it in the driveway! Put it 2' under water, now it's got a load on it.