Yamaha sterndrive shifting problems

[77searay197]

I went to take my boat out today and noticed the shifter was Binding up. I tried to adjust the cables and still binding. I took the outdrive off and it shifted smoothly. I go to put the outdrive back on and it was binding again. Then I noticed if I loosen all the bolts on the outdrive it was shifting freely again and when I tightend the bolts it would bind again. What could be the problem??

 

[MerryO]

Could it be a bad shift cable? These boats are 25+ years old now. My accelerator cable wasn't binding, but last year got I stuck at WOT coming out of a no wake zone. What a wild ride back to the boat dock! :embarassed: (I got "close" to home then paddled back in). My cable jacket had a cut in it (many years old) and had frayed and deteriorated to the point where it completely failed. Was up in the gunnels and not in a normally visible place that I could inspect.

 

[77searay197]

I think it was the bushing in the outdrive. I drilled it put it back together and I can shift it just by pulling the cable with my hand now. I haven't been able to hook it up because I accidentally broke the plastic end that screws onto the shift interrupt switch so whenever j get that part in I can actually try it with the shifter