need help sloppy shift grinds a bit

skinny1965

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
148
ok boat is out for winter but last season i had some grindage when shifting. would like to remedy this in spring just not sure what part to attack
is it cables or linkage I see movement (slop) in linkage part I had a marine guy do some adjustments but he never said what part was toast he got it better but not 100%


is there replacement bushings I'm trying to find part # for all the linkage stuff it's a 4cyl and it's mounted on top of valve cover
I'm trying to contact the PO to see if they did the cable when they did gimble
How can you tell if cables are stretched
 

Bondo

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Staff member
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Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,465
ok boat is out for winter but last season i had some grindage when shifting. would like to remedy this in spring just not sure what part to attack
is it cables or linkage I see movement (slop) in linkage part I had a marine guy do some adjustments but he never said what part was toast he got it better but not 100%


is there replacement bushings I'm trying to find part # for all the linkage stuff it's a 4cyl and it's mounted on top of valve cover
I'm trying to contact the PO to see if they did the cable when they did gimble
How can you tell if cables are stretched

Ayuh,..... Whatcha workin' on,..?? 4cyl ain't sayin' much,....
 

skinny1965

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
148
oh sorry
4cy merc 120 inboard
alpha one out
think it's late 80's early 90's
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
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Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,093
All Alpha drive will grind going into gear, you need to shift "smartly" into gear.,
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
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Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
You don't ease marine engines into gears. Unlike vehicles that you ease the clutch out when it is set in a gear, you merely snap outboard engines into gears. There are no clutches to setting things in motion. So you snap or switch gears with a bit of force to alleviate grinding gears and wear.
 

skinny1965

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
148
yes I get the slam into gear thing but I have had to search a bit with shifter
when I tried to adjust cables as per manual I found slop in the bushings and stuff not sure if it is to much
Also when i had the marine guy look at it he said there was some stuff not 100% but never said what was not right (not sure he really knew)
so now I'm trying to find out how you tell if cables are bad or its the linkage stuff wore enough to not make positive shift if it is the linkage is there a bushing kit to replace or do you buy whole thing
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,465
yes I get the slam into gear thing but I have had to search a bit with shifter
when I tried to adjust cables as per manual I found slop in the bushings and stuff not sure if it is to much
Also when i had the marine guy look at it he said there was some stuff not 100% but never said what was not right (not sure he really knew)
so now I'm trying to find out how you tell if cables are bad or its the linkage stuff wore enough to not make positive shift if it is the linkage is there a bushing kit to replace or do you buy whole thing

Ayuh,.... Which bushin's ya talkin' 'bout,..??

Basically, it All wears,....

Ya fix the slop ya find, til ya find the slop is gone,....

If ya don't know when the lower cable was replaced last,...
I'd start there, 'n if ya find the bushin's in the housin' are bad, yes, they're replaceable,...
 

skinny1965

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
148
bushings in the linkages is there a kit for that or do you replace all of it if there is a kit anyone have part #
 

mr 88

Commander
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
2,115
Its still going to grind a bit. By fixing the bushing or cable it may be a bit less sloppy but unless its not going in gear at all you will not notice that repair.It either goes in gear ,hangs up before going in,which would be a cable adjustment or it doesn't go in at all. Yours is going in and staying in gear so if I could I would drop the rpms to as low as you can go and shift into forward a bit quicker.Nature of the beast.
 
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