A1 Gen 2 Brand New Shift Cable-Tough Shifting

Cajundave10

Seaman
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
54
95 A1G2 Searay 200 signature bowrider with 5.0L

Can someone help me troubleshoot this problem? I have a brand new lower shift cable installed along with a long list of things that needed maintenance while at that.(all 3 bellows, gimbal bearing, trim tab sender/limt, etc).

I began with the problem of having a smooth forward shifting boat, but one that was stiff going into reverse and was killing going into reverse most times. As advised on here I replaced the lower shift cable. I am now shifting into forward ok, but a little stiffer than before. I am dying when shifting into reverse and it is not engaging in reverse.

What I have done to troubleshoot so far;
1-lower shift cable checked at 6" while boat in forward
2-shift remote cable aligned and barreled rolled 4 times after alignment.
3-tried to shift into reverse at this point and prop would not catch in clockwise rotation.

Questions:
A-Should I try moving the slotted adjustment on the bottom of shift lever
B-Do I have an engagement issue that could have occured while re-installing outdrive
C-Could this be a result of poor routing of my lower shift cable sheath? I followed the merc manual to a "T" on this (through transom, under rear engine mount, under Y-pipe, behind power steering valve, into shift cable anchor points.)

I'm about to lose my mind. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

Cajundave10

Seaman
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
54
Played with the adjustment on the bottom of the shift lever. Still stiff in both directions. Shift interrupt switch still engages in reverse immediately once pressure happens from shift control box.

Removed the outdrive. Everything looks ok from what I can see at the gimbal housing connection to the outdrive. Tried to shift everything at shift control box and still very stiff even without the outdrive attached.

Next step is to change shift cable routing I guess?
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
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Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,092
Cable%20Routing_zpsrxm4abvb.jpg
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
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Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,092
Remove the lower shift cable from the plate, apply grease to thumb and index finger, grasp black plastic and move easily in and out.
 

Cajundave10

Seaman
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
54
With outdrive off, the shift cable slides as smooth as a babies butt by hand.

I did put a slight bit of lube on Bt Doc. after your advice. I am about to try and reinstall sterndrive.
 

Cajundave10

Seaman
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
54
Cable routed to manual specs, was just wondering if there was trick for my particular model hull and/or 5.0L engine.

Outdrive reinstalled. Cable immediately becomes harder to shift. Cannot shift into forward or reverse by hand. Extremely stiff shifting once mounted to shift plate.
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,092
Then the shift slide is damaged., the vertical shaft is bent, or the shiftshaft in the lower unit is bent
 

Cajundave10

Seaman
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
54
After another 4 or 5 hours of tinkering, forward is still working fine. Reverse does not engage the prop in CW at all. It doesn't even clank like its trying to catch.

While outdrive was off I checked that the lower unit shift slide coupler was straight ahead at 6 o'clock and locking the prop in CCW. Rotating the shift slide coupler to the reverse position approximately 4 oclock gave me a strong lock in the clockwise position.

Would that rule out bent shiftshaft in lower half? Foot and boot of shift slide mechanism line up well when installing outdrive while in forward.

The only other thing I can think of is trying to tighten the shift cable retainer at the bellhousing. I can't remember if I tightened it to the "2 thread reveal" specification. If this was the case wouldn't the prop be at least clanking trying to catch the gear. I would think we are talking less than a 1/16 of an inch at best is left to tighten if that much.
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,092
Most use 12:00 for F and about 10:30 for R , with the drive between your legs looking foward, if we`re looking at your drive like this pic then 6:00 is F and approx 4:00 id R
 

Cajundave10

Seaman
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
54
IMG_5589.JPG
I would like to thank everyone on here for helping teach my stupid daddy how to get this shifting issue fixed.
The culprit was: I did not screw the brass threaded portion of the shift cable to specifications.

had an argument with my helper(my wife) while screwing in the brass threaded portion of the shift cable outersheathing that screws into the gimbal housing. We disagreed about her effort in putting tension on the shift cable sheath as I was screwing it in with my ratchet. Anyway, I got sidetracked and never came back to tighten it all the way.


Very kind of everyone to go out of their way to help us out! Especially Bt Doc! God bless and if I can ever help anyone with anything to repay their time please don't hesitate to ask. I'm a football coach in South Louisiana so it probably won't be of tremendous help from a boat mechanic advice standpoint, but I feel like I know this shifting system now backwards and forwards.

Thanks again!
 
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