L8-Again
Seaman
- Joined
- May 8, 2010
- Messages
- 55
'79 Mercruiser 260 (350 Chev) SEI outdrive (Alpha I)
I was fighting my shifting problem today. Could not get shift cable to put drive into reverse. Remove drive and can put the drive in reverse no problem. Reinstall, still no solid reverse, only occasional engagement and it would slip back into neutral. Just didn't feel like the cable (new by the way) was pulling far enough out to engage.
Searched forum and found several reverse problems that ended without a solution. The common misalignment of a tooth off, not being in Forward when installing or bad cable did not apply to my situation.
I found a solution for my unit. The foot of the upper shift shaft was spread just a tiny bit too much allowing too much play between the lower shift shaft foot and the upper shift shaft foot. A pair of vice grips and some grunting squeezed it tighter and now reverse slides in solid. I did not have to remove the drive to squeeze the foot.
Hopefully someone can use this info.
I am dealing with used parts (bell housing and upper shift shaft replaced) so I have no idea how the upper foot got spread in the first place, but it was only millimeters too wide.
I was fighting my shifting problem today. Could not get shift cable to put drive into reverse. Remove drive and can put the drive in reverse no problem. Reinstall, still no solid reverse, only occasional engagement and it would slip back into neutral. Just didn't feel like the cable (new by the way) was pulling far enough out to engage.
Searched forum and found several reverse problems that ended without a solution. The common misalignment of a tooth off, not being in Forward when installing or bad cable did not apply to my situation.
I found a solution for my unit. The foot of the upper shift shaft was spread just a tiny bit too much allowing too much play between the lower shift shaft foot and the upper shift shaft foot. A pair of vice grips and some grunting squeezed it tighter and now reverse slides in solid. I did not have to remove the drive to squeeze the foot.
Hopefully someone can use this info.
I am dealing with used parts (bell housing and upper shift shaft replaced) so I have no idea how the upper foot got spread in the first place, but it was only millimeters too wide.