not going into gear, mercruiser alpha stern drive

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chuko

Cadet
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Oct 10, 2011
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My coupler went out on my mercruiser 140. see http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=528010

I managed to replace it and align the engine. But as part of the trouble shooting I mentioned in the my last posts, in the prop turned freely with the shifter in different positions, before I took off the stern drive (alpha mercruiser), which I was why I thought it might be that the gears went out in the lower unit. I took the stern drive off, first putting into shifter into forward. Once off, if I held the unit shift lever in forward and turned the prop counter clockwise, I felt it lock and was able to turn the drive shaft with the prop and vice versa. As I was installing the stern drive it still felt like it was in gear, but once fully installed, the prop again turns freely when I put into forward and reverse. I tried to make sure shift shaft lever stay in the shift shaft slide while installing. The shift shaft slide moves in and out when I move the shift lever. I also aligned the unit shaft lever with the shift shaft coupler.

When the coupler was destroyed, did it somehow mess up gears or shifter? Why was it not going into gear before I took off the stern drive, even thought it was working before the coupler went? Why is it still not going into gear?
 
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dubs283

Vice Admiral
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Jul 27, 2005
Messages
5,115
Re: not going into gear, mercruiser alpha stern drive

it is possible but unlikely the shift cable was damaged when the coupler went out, there is nothing really catastrophic about the coupler failing

you are abosultely sure the shift slide does move when you put the remote in gear??

was the lower cable routed properly upon engine install??

was everything reconnected on the engine mounted shift plate assy correctly??

have you checked the adjustment??

can you shift the drive by hand?? (remove the cable end from the plate assy and move in/out by hand to engage the gears in the drive)

have you verified the shift fork does rotate and engages the shift foot/shaft in the drive??

it is possible the cable is worn and needs replacement
 
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chuko

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Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Messages
25
Re: not going into gear, mercruiser alpha stern drive

actually, reverse works, and I can manually get forward to work. I can see the shift cable move at shift plate assembly when I move from reverse to neutral. When I go from neutral to foward, shift cable does not move. I will try adjusting this. Does the shift lever move the shift plate hydraulically?
 
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ENSIGN

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
1,179
Re: not going into gear, mercruiser alpha stern drive

No hydraulics,if the cable's not moving it's broken inside
 
C

chuko

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Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Messages
25
Re: not going into gear, mercruiser alpha stern drive

I have followed the manuals on how to adjust the shift cables. I measure 6" center to center from the brass barrell to the end of the cable in forward for the drive shift cable. I then adjusted the remote shift cable. I seem to be able to get the prop to lock counter clockwise in forward and go in neutral, no reverse. Or adjusted in the other extreme, I can get prop to lock clockwise while in reverse and go into neutral, but not forward. It seems as though there is not enough throw to get both forward and reverse. Since following the manual does not seem to find the sweet spot I am using combos of remote and drive shift adjustments, but have not had luck and wasted a lot of time. Any suggestions on how to find the sweet spot? Or what the problem is? Replacement is not an option at this point as I am in Baja trying to use the boat for some fishing time before I go home.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: not going into gear, mercruiser alpha stern drive

chuko said:
I have followed the manuals on how to adjust the shift cables. I measure 6" center to center from the brass barrell to the end of the cable in forward for the drive shift cable. I then adjusted the remote shift cable. I seem to be able to get the prop to lock counter clockwise in forward and go in neutral, no reverse. Or adjusted in the other extreme, I can get prop to lock clockwise while in reverse and go into neutral, but not forward. It seems as though there is not enough throw to get both forward and reverse. Since following the manual does not seem to find the sweet spot I am using combos of remote and drive shift adjustments, but have not had luck and wasted a lot of time. Any suggestions on how to find the sweet spot? Or what the problem is? Replacement is not an option at this point as I am in Baja trying to use the boat for some fishing time before I go home.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... From yer description, I'd say the lower shift cable is worn out...
The inner cable cuts/ wallows out the outer sheath, causing excessive play in the cable...
Replacin' it is the Only cure,...
Maybe you can get by for yer vacation by shifting at the switch plate...
 
C

chuko

Cadet
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Messages
25
Re: not going into gear, mercruiser alpha stern drive

OK, I will probably just set it up to shift into forward, and quit messing around with it. Thanks
 
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