Lower shift cable adjustment ?

1979 Quartermasters · Apr 15, 2013

Shifts into forward nicely, but it wants to stall going into reverse. I followed the instructions in the Merc manual, but I think it needs a further adjustment.
Does that pivot point need to come up a bit (the one at the end of the lower shift cable.)?
It stumbles going into gear. I thought it did that coming out of gear.

Some advice would be great......

Ken

Bondo · Apr 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

1979 Quartermasters said:
Shifts into forward nicely, but it wants to stall going into reverse. I followed the instructions in the Merc manual, but I think it needs a further adjustment.
Does that pivot point need to come up a bit (the one at the end of the lower shift cable.)?
It stumbles going into gear. I thought it did that coming out of gear.

Some advice would be great......

Ken

Ayuh,.... Is this a New cable, or an old existin' cable,..??

1979 Quartermasters · Apr 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

Bond-o said:
Is this a New cable, or an old existin' cable,..??

Brand new. OEM.

1979 Quartermasters · Apr 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

A little expertise would be most helpfull.....

Thanks,

Ken

Don S · Apr 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

1979 Quartermasters said:
A little expertise would be most helpfull.....

Thanks,

Ken

See if this helps. Don't skip steps, or you will be doing it again.

View attachment A1G2 Shift Cable Adjust.pdf

1979 Quartermasters · Apr 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

Thanks Don. I have that information. Are you saying I didn't follow the directions properly and need to do it again? I thought I had....

Ken

Don S · Apr 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

1979 Quartermasters said:
Thanks Don. I have that information. Are you saying I didn't follow the directions properly and need to do it again? I thought I had....

Ken

You did something wrong, or it would work. It's obviously going into gear too far. Did you skip any steps? Including the ones on the cable adjustment in the helm to engine cable? Did you do them in the right order? No skipping around.

1979 Quartermasters · Apr 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

I thought I did. I will do it again from the beginning and pay attention to details.
I will probably have time as we just received 2 inches of snow and the ice on the Red River hasn't moved yet.

Thanks.....

Ken

1979 Quartermasters · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

Well the ice has moved out and it won't be long till I get to try out the new goodies on my boat.
I am, however, concerned the lower shift cable is still not right.
I did the adjustment sequence again, as Don suggested, and its better. Before I did the cable, it didn't stumble at all going into reverse. It's not dying anymore going in, but still a pretty big stumble. Forward is fine.
Not sure what I need to do to get this right. Have not water tested yet, but I don't think that will make a difference in this situation.
Do I need to do it again?

Thanks.....

Ken

Don S · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

It shouldn't be doing anything when going into gear. If it is, then you have shift cable problems or drive problems. Something is binding.

1979 Quartermasters · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

That's what I thought.

Any suggestions as to where to look?

The installation was text book. I don't believe I damaged the cable. The cable does have a bit of a twist on it. Would that cause this problem?

Ken

Don S · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

You installed a new OEM cable. Was this the new style cable? Did you have the old style cable that came in from the front of the bellhousing? If you tapped the hole, did you do it from the front or back. Did you overtighten the set screw in the slide?

1979 Quartermasters · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

I didn't tap any hole. I'm pretty sure I put the cable in from the back( out side the boat). Had to make that extended socket to get the cable out.
Am I making any sense?
Do I have to pull the drive to check all this stuff?

Ken

achris · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

What about the routing of the cable inside the boat? Any sharp bends? Do you have the manual showing the correct path and has the new cable followed that?

Just my 2c worth... (Have to keep my post count going you know

)

Chris......

Don S · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

1979 Quartermasters said:
I didn't tap any hole. I'm pretty sure I put the cable in from the back( out side the boat). Had to make that extended socket to get the cable out.
Am I making any sense?
Do I have to pull the drive to check all this stuff?

Ken

Yes, it's the only way you can get to it.

Check the shift shaft in the drive and bellhousing too. If they are bent, they can cause the problem too.

PS: Front= side facing the front of the boat. Back= side facing the drive

1979 Quartermasters · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

K, I'll pull the drive and check those things.
Thanks guys......

Ken

1979 Quartermasters · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

When you say "something is binding", do you mean resistance on the cable. When I have the drive off, will I feel this binding if move the cable by hand.
Is there a way to make sure it's not binding before I put the drive back on?

You help is MUCH appreciated!!

Ken

achris · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

Yes, just try moving the cable... You might need someone on the outside to hold the slide up and stop it falling over and catching... And that's the other thing. That slide MUST be able to rotate freely on the wire. If it can't, the cable may bind up and cause, I don't know... activation of the interrupt switch.... Although it must rotate, it must not have too much movement in and out, or the adjustment will be harder to get right. What I do is run the grub-screw (the one in the back of the slide) in until it touched the end of the cable (and locks the slide), then back it out 1/8 turn. Lock-wire it there...

Chris.......

1979 Quartermasters · May 14, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

Thanks Chris and Don. I'll check it out in the morning. I'd hate to put it back together and have not solved the problem......

Ken

1979 Quartermasters · May 15, 2013

Re: Lower shift cable adjustment ?

Good morning everyone.

I have pulled the drive and the "grub-screw", as Chris called it, was pretty tight. So I adjusted it as Chris described in an earlier post. I did not find anything else wrong.

I am ready to put it back together unless somebody thinks I might have missed something......

Ken

Lower shift cable adjustment ?

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