reverse kills engine...help!!!

hi all
my 1978 cresliner has a 120 hp engine, just got the carb rebuild and installed
engine runs smoth now. forward shift perfect but when i put it in reverse it shuts
the engine off, i tried it at 700-800-900-1000 rpm all failed, anyone has a clue
whats wrong here.
give me all you got, i got nothing to lose but summer season!
thanks

fshn-n-e-1

Re: reverse kills engine...help!!!

Sounds like your lower shift cable may need replacing. What model/year engine? Serial # would be even better so the experts can know exactly what motor you have.

Re: reverse kills engine...help!!!

I had similar problem with the boat killing after shifting from either reverse to drive or drive to reverse. Shift cable was the problem. Had it replaced and took care of the problem.

Re: reverse kills engine...help!!!

its a 1978 crestliner,mercruiser 120hp 4 cilinder I/O, what i found out is that there is a little switch that kills the engine for 1/2 asecond before it shifts to forward/reverse it is mounted at the corner of the plate where the 2 cables sit,(forward/reverse cables) when i shift i can see the lever of that switch moves on the forward no problem on the
reverse it shuts the engine down, forward seems to grind a little when it engage into gear, reverse does the same just grinding into gear but never ingages fully, just kills the engine, any thought, how expensive are those cables to replaces, should i replace the control handle also (its a 1978 after all)
thanks
Ron

Re: reverse kills engine...help!!!

lov2plum said:

what i found out is that there is a little switch that kills the engine for 1/2 asecond before it shifts to forward/reverse it is mounted at the corner of the plate where the 2 cables sit,(forward/reverse cables)

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That is the shift interrupter switch. That switch stumbles the engne when you move OUT of gear, from forward or reverse to neutral.

lov2plum said:

reverse it shuts the engine down, forward seems to grind a little when it engage into gear, reverse does the same just grinding into gear but never ingages fully, just kills the engine

Click to expand...

Sounds more and more like the lower shift cable is the problem. No need to replace the control handle - the upper shift cable runs from the control handle to the shift plate you described, and the lower shift cable goes from the shift plate to the outdrive. Replacing the cable is not hard but it is tedious, and a lot of people say that while you are in there you might as well do the bellows because they could be next to go. I believe you can all the parts here at Iboats.