Shift Slide / Fork Screw Problem

poconojoe

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Sep 10, 2010
Messages
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A couple of things you need to be REAL careful with. Ask me how I know!
The fitting for the water hose at the transom is plastic. Be careful with it when you remove the old water hose. After you remove the clamp, slice carefully with a razor knife without damaging the plastic fitting.
Now here's the REAL bad one...the small oil hose on the other side. That little bulkhead fitting is also plastic and if you break it, like I did, you are going to have to contort and jam your hands way behind the engine blindly with a lot of cursing. Believe me, you don't want to break that little fitting. It's boarder line on pulling the engine. I was lucky to get it done. So, slice that small hose carefully and DON'T pull on that hose to get it off. It's just a small plastic hose barb.
 

poconojoe

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Thank you on the shift cable recommendation. 1st time doing a bellow's job & same for the "Shift Cable" so yeah it's better to do it all while I have it off.. Just suck's that I have to order the part which I would have done ahead of time but maybe next time I should put a post up asking for the recommended step's or item's that should be replaced when doing a bellow's job.

I'm replacing the following:

1. All 3 bellow's
2. Shift Slide / Fork with retainer screw
3. Water line
4. Oil "Reservoir" Line
5. Brass fitting for the Oil Reservoir Line
6. All the clamps
7. Using Bellow's Glue & Merc Perfect Seal Glue
8. Shift Cable or Inner line itself??

Anything I missed crew?

You can buy the parts kit. It has all the parts. Do a search for Mercruiser bellows kit. Get the one with the gimbal bearing included. You should change that too.
If you want, you can get the shift cable kit too. It has everything you need. Including that slide that gave you a hard time. Just throw the old one out!
If your just gonna change the inner cable make sure you get the exact one. the newer ones are teflon coated and are a larger diameter. it won't fit inside your old casing.
 

poconojoe

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Messages
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do you have all the proper tools? Most importantly the alignment tool. Don't skimp on the alignment. The alignment has to be spot on.
 

poconojoe

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Read the manual. Sorry to repeat myself, but I can't stress that enough. Mercruier manual #14
 

stonyloam

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Mar 13, 2009
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5,827
Actually you were on a kind of fruitless quest anyway, because even if you did get the set screw out there is a stop on the end of the cable that prevents the shift slide from being removed in the first place, all you would be able to do is slide the shift slide up the cable. Remember the slide must push ( into F) and pull(into R). The set screw just locks the cable stop in place. Just thought I would mention that LOL!
 
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Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,093
1 Stop what your doing immediately
2 read the manual link completely or find the manual online and READ IR COMPLETELTY
3 READ THE MANUAL AGIAN ,AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN until you know exactly what needs to be done and how it needs to be done.
4 Now if you still have questions, post them here.

More damage has been done by viewing the videos and thinking you can do the repair yourself. most videos leave out some critical steps in the repairs.Get a manual and read for yourself first, The manuals are written for mechanics and do leave out the tricks and tips for doing a repair.
 
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poconojoe

Lieutenant Commander
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Sep 10, 2010
Messages
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Just to let you know...I just did two of these bellows jobs with my brother-in-law. We did his boat and mine. It was our first time. It was good to have two people. Hopefully you can have someone there to help. Take a bunch of pictures before you take everything apart. Especially note the EXACT position of each clamp screw. Some of them only fit in their exact position. If you don't get that right you will get very frustrated and have to keep trying to reposition it. Remember, if your bellows leak, it can sink your boat. That very small shifter bellows is well known for that. Sometimes when doing a job like this, you have to just walk away and come back later or the next day. An old saying "sleep on it". Don't rush it.
Anyway, we launched his boat two days ago and all is well. Mine is almost done. I need to adjust my engine alignment.
 

jmw129

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
253
do you have all the proper tools? Most importantly the alignment tool. Don't skimp on the alignment. The alignment has to be spot on.


Yes I have the alignment tool, thank you for mentioning.
 

jmw129

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
253
You can buy the parts kit. It has all the parts. Do a search for Mercruiser bellows kit. Get the one with the gimbal bearing included. You should change that too.
If you want, you can get the shift cable kit too. It has everything you need. Including that slide that gave you a hard time. Just throw the old one out!
If your just gonna change the inner cable make sure you get the exact one. the newer ones are teflon coated and are a larger diameter. it won't fit inside your old casing.


My mechanic changed the gimbal late 2013 and has no play in it so I'm planning to keep it in. The newer inner cables such as the sierra replacement are larger in diameter than oem and won't fit is that right?
 

jmw129

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
253
A couple of things you need to be REAL careful with. Ask me how I know!
The fitting for the water hose at the transom is plastic. Be careful with it when you remove the old water hose. After you remove the clamp, slice carefully with a razor knife without damaging the plastic fitting.
Now here's the REAL bad one...the small oil hose on the other side. That little bulkhead fitting is also plastic and if you break it, like I did, you are going to have to contort and jam your hands way behind the engine blindly with a lot of cursing. Believe me, you don't want to break that little fitting. It's boarder line on pulling the engine. I was lucky to get it done. So, slice that small hose carefully and DON'T pull on that hose to get it off. It's just a small plastic hose barb.


Thank You. I already have the water line off with the method you mentioned above & currently getting ready to do the same on the "Oil Reservoir" fitting. Greatly appreciated on the tip!
 

jmw129

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
253
Personally, I'd buy the Quicksilver one (OEM Mercruiser). Yes the lower cable on the shift bracket on the engine is the lower shift cable.

There are 2 OEM kits available.... 865436A02 and 865436A03

Here are the differences in the two kits:

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...gines-outdrives/313943-865436a02-vs-865436a03


To remove the cable end at the engine.... There are 2- Frankenstein looking screws on the black plastic end. They bite into the metal "core". They have to be removed and the plastic end pulled off the core wire. then remove the jam nut and the threaded shaft. Then you can pull your slider end which is attached to the core at the outdrive end.




Thank You on the video, will be checking it out here. Appreciate the OEM Kit's and the differences in the two kits info, very helpful!
 

jmw129

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
253
Just to let you know...I just did two of these bellows jobs with my brother-in-law. We did his boat and mine. It was our first time. It was good to have two people. Hopefully you can have someone there to help. Take a bunch of pictures before you take everything apart. Especially note the EXACT position of each clamp screw. Some of them only fit in their exact position. If you don't get that right you will get very frustrated and have to keep trying to reposition it. Remember, if your bellows leak, it can sink your boat. That very small shifter bellows is well known for that. Sometimes when doing a job like this, you have to just walk away and come back later or the next day. An old saying "sleep on it". Don't rush it.
Anyway, we launched his boat two days ago and all is well. Mine is almost done. I need to adjust my engine alignment.


On the shift cable bellow did you use the merc perfect seal where it is connected & clamped onto the "Gimbal Housing" to give it an additional seal? I planned on using it.
 
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Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,093
contact cement, bellows adhesive or 3M weatherstrip adhesive.If the bellow pop off, the boating going to sink
 

jmw129

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
253
contact cement, bellows adhesive or 3M weatherstrip adhesive.If the bellow pop off, the boating going to sink


Cool I have the Bellow's Adhesive from QuickSilver & will be using this unless Contact Cement is better? I have used 3M 5200 in the past on the outside of the boat.

Of these for this particular job do you have a favorite based on results?
 
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Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,093
5200 IS NOT CONTACT CEMENT,its a sealant. the bellows must be GLUED IN PLACE
 
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