Please Save My 4th of July - Shift Cable Questions

[PanicButtonGuy]

I really hope I'm posting this in the right spot. Here goes. New to boating, purchased a 1973 Glastron Starflite with a MerCruiser 140 4 cyl. Sterndrive. Here's what happened. Took the boat out and everything was fine. Went to put it back in, turned the key and nothing happened. PANIC! No click, no sound, blower and lights were working, a good Samaritan tried jumping it and NOTHING!! I was not able to move the throttle lever with the button pushed in. Took it out and started troubleshooting. Upon searching this forum for multiple days I kept seeing someone named Bondo telling people to take things apart and see what was wrong. So that's what I did.

I took apart the MerControl control box and tried starting it. It fired right up and WAS IN GEAR. I disconnected the upper shift cable from the motor and was able to put it back into neural and confirmed that it shifted to FNR. I then removed the shift cable from the box and the everything in the box moved freely WITHOUT the cable attached. Once the cable was in there it would not move. It seems like the cable is binding in the brass sleeve or something.

My theory is that the upper shift cable needs to be replaced because it does not move freely and will not allow the lever to move. Am I correct in my diagnosis? Could it be something else? I have never worked on a boat before so I'm not sure what's normal and what isn't. If it is the cable how do I know what cable I need to buy? Are they universal? I know that they need to be a certain length.

ANY ADVICE WOULD BE SO HELPFUL.

 

[Fun Times]

Hi there, welcome to iboats!

Sure sounds like you are in need of a new shift cable between the helm shifter and the engine. One other way to know would be to disconnect the cable at both ends since you have everything apart right now and try to move the cable by hand. If ANY resistance is felt then a new cable should be ordered and installed.

There should be some markings on the cable that you could match up by doing a search of the numbers either on here at iboats store or just online..Typically the last numbers are the length you'll need in feet of the cable.

This video helps a lot of how to measure shift cables should you not see any markings on the cable, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylNNEcf2vNY

You'll also want to ensure that the other lower shift cable running down behind the engine heading to the stern drive moves freely as that is the typical shift cable that tends to get stuck the easiest as that is much more susceptible to water corrosion build-up.

You'll need to two people for this test though. While someone inside the boat moves the shift cable back and fourth, someone on the outside will need to turn the prop to ensure everything if shifting properly. The prop should spin freely both ways in neutral gear. Then when you move the shift cable one-way, the prop should lock up in one direction and should spin usually with a clicking sound/feel to it in the opposite direction....Move the cable other way, the prop should reverse the order of locking up and spinning/clicking. Is any heavy resistance felt there? Lets hope not since you plan to use the boat this weekend but be safe and very thorough about it all before just using the boat just because it's a long weekend.

Glad to see that Bondo was able to get you heading in the right direction.:courage::usa::usa2:

 

[PanicButtonGuy]

I was the shift cable. The plastic on the threaded end some how MELTED to the metal and was not moving anywhere. The shift cable I purchased as a replacement (Seastar 600a) is not extending as far as my original when the threaded end is pushed in. Therefore the lever stops before any throttle is applied. I cut the plastic end on the original and burned it off. I confirmed that it IS extending further than the replacement. I also confirmed that I do need that little extra because I hooked up the old one which is now moving since I took off the melted part. I just started a new thread on this because when I went to post this the site said that it failed to post.