Bell Housing Removal: Shift Cable Question

ken_23434

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 28, 2008
Messages
313
I am reading up on what I need to do for replacing my bellows on my 88 Alpha 1.

It seems the service manual is written for completely taking apart everything in the outdrive. I know I do not need to do everything listed in there. (Wish it had a step by step just for doing the bellows).

Another write up I found said to remove the small clamp from the shift cable bellows and that is all it said.

I am guessing I need to cut the lock wire and remove the set screw from the shift slide to separate the cable from that piece. Then remove the small clamp from the shift bellows.

After that, the cable would just slip through the shift bellows?

I am guessing on all that. Not really sure. I do not want to take apart more than I need to.
 

Bondo

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Re: Bell Housing Removal: Shift Cable Question

Ayuh,... I wouldn't go thru the Busted fingers of a Bellows Change, without replacing the lower shift cable Too...
 

ziggy

Admiral
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Jun 30, 2004
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Re: Bell Housing Removal: Shift Cable Question

also, along with the shift cable. if the water hose has any issues, that's the time to do that too.

don't know what ya mean by
It seems the service manual is written for completely taking apart everything in the outdrive.
you don't have to take the drive apart. you do have to take the drive off the boat and remove the bellhousing. then you can get your fingers bloody on the bellows and water hose and shift cable. i'd follow the book. don't know what book you have, but my oem mercruiser s/m #2 has step by step instructions for my engine drive package. you do have to pick out the items that you want to work on though. so some steps can be eliminated. but don't eliminate steps for parts your working on. the manual pretty much lets you in on the best way to do whatever task is at hand.
I am guessing on all that.
don't guess. read the manual. i read my manual over and over prior to doing bellows and shift cable the first time i did it. when i do another one, i'll read it again too.
 

ken_23434

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 28, 2008
Messages
313
Re: Bell Housing Removal: Shift Cable Question

I have the Mercruiser service manual (#4) for my outdrive.

Under the section for Bell Housing Removal it has me removing the shift cable and part of that section talks about "remove shift cable wrapping from shift cable on inner transom" and other things that sounds like it is directing me to remove the shift cable completely. I thought I could leave the cable in place and be able to slip the new bellows onto it.

Maybe it will all become clear once I get into the actual work.
 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: Bell Housing Removal: Shift Cable Question

they want ya to remove the wrap so the outside dia. of the shift cable will pass thru the gimble housing when you pull the bellhousing off the gimble ring. you pull the cable out of the cable sheath (lack of a better word) then you pull the whole cable sheath out. it will be attached to the bellhousing. you need the room to work. the bellows are very stiff and hard to work with..

saw this the other day... maybe it'll help..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeFw2_jjAIA&feature=related

least it give ya an idea of what your getting into..
 
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