shift cable purchase help

I have a MC-1 outdrive paired with a mercruiser 3.0L engine. My boat has not been able to shift into both forward and reverse since I got it last fall. I spent hours adjusting the cable with the manual and trying to make sure I had everything just right with no shifting luck.

So finally I gave in this winter and towed it to a Marine shop to be diagnosed so I know what I am fixing. After looking at it he told me "the transom shift cable is bad". I asked him how he came to that conclusion and he said "if you look under the outdrive you can see where the cable is almost broken in half".

Now with that said I am going to do the cable replacement myself but I cannot figure out if that is the lower shift cable, or the intermediate shift cable that I need to purchase.

If I can see the cable by looking under the outdrive I would think that would be the lower shift cable, but when I Google search the 2 cables, the repair kit looks the same for intermediate and lower cable kits. Anyone know what I need to buy?

Re: shift cable purchase help

If I can see the cable by looking under the outdrive I would think that would be the lower shift cable,

Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... It's called the Lower Shift Cable....

Donno of an intermediate on an MC 1...

Buy the Oem, Merc cable,... It's worth the extra money over aftermarket...

Re: shift cable purchase help

sti1471 said:

Now with that said I am going to do the cable replacement myself but I cannot figure out if that is the lower shift cable, or the intermediate shift cable that I need to purchase.

I Google search the 2 cables, the repair kit looks the same for intermediate and lower cable kits. Anyone know what I need to buy?

Click to expand...

Bond-o said:

Ayuh,.... It's called the Lower Shift Cable....

Donno of an intermediate on an MC 1...

Buy the Oem, Merc cable,... It's worth the extra money over aftermarket...

Click to expand...

Some guys call it or describe it as a lower shift cable and some call it an intermediate shift cable, There is no difference between the two cables with your mercruiser.

They are the same cable, just worded differently in this situation is all.

Re: shift cable purchase help

Is this boat new to you?

Since you didn't see the cable was broken in half, and I would bet money you think this repair is going to be easy as well. I would bet you also need a bellows and the drive hasn't been off in years, or that cable would have been noticed a long time before it got that bad.

Your best bet is to install the new style OEM cable. It's teflon coated and moves smoother and longer than any aftermarket cable.

If the bellows gets water in it, the ujoints need replaced, along with the gimbal bearing, you will need an alignment bar to check alignment, and hopefully the coupler isn't suffering from lack of lubrication and needing replaced as well.

Has the impeller been replaced lately? or is an overheat in your near future.