Shift cable replacement

[nitedmn]

I'm working on replacing my lower shift cable. So far I've managed to get the old cable out and now I'm looking to get all the stuff I need to get the new cable installed. I have an old 1972 Pre-Alpha drive with the old style shift cable (screws in from the bellows side). From what I've read I will need to convert this to work with the new style cable. All the info I found for doing this was pretty old (some of it conflicting) so I'm just asking for clarification on the steps so I don't screw anything up.

1. I need to tap the hole so I can attach the new style cable like this http://forums.iboats.com/filedata/fetch?id=6951255. Is the part number listed in that image still valid? Are there cheaper versions of this tap I can look for (trying to do this as cheap as possible without sacrificing too much quality)?

2. To tap the hole correclty it sounds like I just need to screw it into the existing threads and use the tap to extend the treads all the way to the other side of the hole. Is this correct?

3. Which shift cable kit should I be looking for? There seem to be a lot of options and I don't know which one I should get. Again, I'm trying to go as cheap as possible but still have quality parts. It's a Mercruiser 888 if that helps to narrow it down.

 

[blamtro]

No Title

I just did this but on a 79 alpha gen 1. I bought this: fastest source I could find at a resonable price.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I can only hope you slid in an old solid control cable core to act as a guide.

Sierra 18-2603 or the Merc you want the GEN II one

 

[nitedmn]

I can only hope you slid in an old solid control cable core to act as a guide.

Sierra 18-2603 or the Merc you want the GEN II one

Only old cable I had wasn't going to slide through cleanly so I used some plastic string from my trimmer as guide.

 

[Bt Doctur]

that will work fine too

 

[Alumarine]

The merc outer sheath has a removable plastic end so you don't need a special/home made tool to screw the cable in.
Also, there might be a difference between a NPS and NPSF tap.

 

[Bondo]

Are there cheaper versions of this tap I can look for (trying to do this as cheap as possible without sacrificing too much quality)?

Ayuh,.... I ordered one from Fastenal a couple weeks ago, ain't picked it up yet, but the price on-line was I think 'bout $44.00,.....

I looked it up for the part number, as the counter help here ain't the swiftest,.....

It's an odd size, 'n not that easy to find,...

 

[nitedmn]

I found several taps on Amazon but all of them have a wait of at least one week. I was hoping to have the boat on the water this weekend but it's starting to look like I might have to wait a little longer. I'm going to check a few places in town before I completely give up hope.

The merc outer sheath has a removable plastic end so you don't need a special/home made tool to screw the cable in.

Do the Sierra cables (like this one) do this too?

 

[bbook83]

No Title

If you aren't yet committed to retapping the hole to allow for the new style cable, the old style is still available. I can look up where I got it if you are interested. I had the bell and gimbal housings off the boat, so the old style was a bit easier to deal with. I am working on a 1974 Jolly Roger with a 140, which look a whole lot like your boat. I knew that Jolly Rogers, Appolos, and Americans were very similar, but I have never seen a Marlin.

 

[nitedmn]

Thanks but I've already ordered the parts I need. Just need to wait for them to arrive. I think I would use the new style cable anyway. It will just make it easier to replace in the future.

My dad bought this boat new before I was even born. I spent a lot of time on it as a kid and I've only seen one other boat like it. It was identical in every way except that it was one year newer. The guy who owned it was also a friend of my dad. Searching on google turns up very few pictures too (you do find a few of the jet models but not the I/O).

 

[tango13]

Cant offer any advice but I sure do like your boat, I have a 78' American. Cant beat these hulls

 

[Alumarine]

I found several taps on Amazon but all of them have a wait of at least one week. I was hoping to have the boat on the water this weekend but it's starting to look like I might have to wait a little longer. I'm going to check a few places in town before I completely give up hope.


Do the Sierra cables (like this one) do this too?

There was a post recently from Bondo that indicated the Sierra cables do not have the removable plastic part.

 

[Bondo]

There was a post recently from Bondo that indicated the Sierra cables do not have the removable plastic part.

Ayuh,..... That's exactly Right,..... The little plastic cable guide is black insteada white, 'n is crimped in-place, rather than threaded,....

I butchered a 3rd Snap-on socket to do the last 2 cables,.... can't find the 1st two, as I didn't need 'em anymore, or so I thought,.....

Buy only a Merc Oem replacement lower shift cable,.....

 

[nitedmn]

I got the new shift cable installed and forward gear seems to be working but reverse seems a little off. Maybe this is normal but when I shift into reverse the prop will click like it's about to lock but it doesn't fully lock. If I reach behind the lower unit and press the shift lever slightly, the prop will lock. When I say slightly, I am moving it less than a 16th of an inch. It's such a small amount that I wasn't sure I was even moving it the first few times I tried.

I've tried shifting into reverse with the shift cable disconnected from the shift bracket (manually pulling the cable) and had the same results. It like the cable is a 16th of an inch too long. I've also pulled the drive off again and confirmed the cable is fully threaded into the housing.

Is this normal? Will it shift once it's in the water and under load? If not, what do I need to do?

 

[muc]

Not normal, no it won't be better in the water.
Can you see more than one thread where the shift cable screws into the bell housing? If you can its not in far enough.
Have you tried moving the stud further out in its slot?
Do you have too much play between the cable and the shift slide?
Is there too much play between the upper shift shaft and its bushings?
Have you gone thru the shift system troubleshooting in section 3C of the MerCruiser manual?

 

[nitedmn]

I figured it out...

Pulled the drive back off (I'm getting good at removing and installing a lower unit) and found the plastic housing was bent just a tiny bit causing the shifting fork to bind on the fitting a little. I straightened the bend, reinstalled the drive (this was my 3rd or 4th time) and now it seems to be shifting perfectly.

When I put the drive on the first time, I think I accidently pushed on the shifting fork bending the plastic slightly.

 

[nitedmn]

Put tho boat on the water today. I had to make a small adjustment to the shift interrupter but otherwise everything worked perfectly. Thanks everyone for the help and advice. Next task, get the right carb jets for running at 5000+ feet of elevation (she's running pretty rich right now).

Two things I learned, which might help others save a little time.

1. Don't clamp down the shift cable bellows until after the cable has been fully screwed into the drive. Clamping it down first will cause the bellows to twist as you screw in the cable. This wasn't difficult to fix but cost me a little time (I had to loosen the clamp on the bellows, unscrew the cable to remove the twisting, and then reattach everything again).

2. Make sure the out-drive clears the shift fork before pushing the drive in. By accidentally pushing on the shift fork, I slightly bent the plastic at the end of the cable housing. This caused the shift fork to bind slightly, on the cable housing fitting, when trying to shift into reverse and, in my case, prevented me from fully shifting into reverse. I had to remove the drive again, remove the bend from the plastic, make sure there was no more binding, then reattach the drive.