3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

[lornej]

Hi, was driving and shifted to neutral and stopped engine. started it and shifted to forward with no engagement in forward or reverse. engine just revs. inspected cables and they move the lower cable. removed lower cable and it feels smooth but almost feels like it is not attached. How do I check what it wrong. where does the cable go to. thanks

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

Welcome to iboats....
You will need to pull the drive to inspect the cable end....
Look in the "adults only" at the top of the page to see if your manual is available online....

 

[lornej]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

Welcome to iboats....
You will need to pull the drive to inspect the cable end....
Look in the "adults only" at the top of the page to see if your manual is available online....

thanks, will I need an alignment tool and gaskets to reinstall.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

Gasket set, YES......
Alignment bar optional, but reccomended....

 

[lornej]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

Gasket set, YES......
Alignment bar optional, but reccomended....

One more question. How do I put the out drive in forward and lock the prop if it will not engage.

 

[lornej]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

Welcome to iboats....
You will need to pull the drive to inspect the cable end....
Look in the "adults only" at the top of the page to see if your manual is available online....

can I pull the drive without being able to shift it into forward? thanks.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

can I pull the drive without being able to shift it into forward? thanks.

Ayuh,.... You'll have to lay down,+ look Up at the Shift Shoe,+ the Shift Foot... It's the 2 pieces that slide together for shifting...
They're up in the center foreward area of the outdrive- gimbel- transom connection...
You may have to trim the drive up abit to See it...
They have to be aligned Fore,+ Aft,.. Not turned at all...
You should be able to move it before, or during the removal process....

Good Luck,...

 

[lornej]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

Ayuh,.... You'll have to lay down,+ look Up at the Shift Shoe,+ the Shift Foot... It's the 2 pieces that slide together for shifting...
They're up in the center foreward area of the outdrive- gimbel- transom connection...
You may have to trim the drive up abit to See it...
They have to be aligned Fore,+ Aft,.. Not turned at all...
You should be able to move it before, or during the removal process....

Good Luck,...

Thanks

 

[lornej]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

Ayuh,.... You'll have to lay down,+ look Up at the Shift Shoe,+ the Shift Foot... It's the 2 pieces that slide together for shifting...
They're up in the center foreward area of the outdrive- gimbel- transom connection...
You may have to trim the drive up abit to See it...
They have to be aligned Fore,+ Aft,.. Not turned at all...
You should be able to move it before, or during the removal process....

Good Luck,...

Update. Pulled the drive, (very easy) when I pulled it out a set screw fell out. It was from the shift lever. installed it with loctite and checked cable opperation, ok. all bellows look dry and good. will reinstall and all it will cost me is a new gasket. Thanks for all the advise from both posters. It saved me several hundred dollars and at least 3-4 days in the shop.

 

[dubs283]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

there is a stainless steel safety wire that goes through the hole in the set screw and around the tab on the shift slide. this should be installed otherwise you may experience the same problem again. install wire in a figure 8 pattern and you should be good to go. also the set screw should be backed off slightly, not tight otherwise the inner shift cable can bind up with the slide and cause shifting issues

 

[lornej]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

there is a stainless steel safety wire that goes through the hole in the set screw and around the tab on the shift slide. this should be installed otherwise you may experience the same problem again. install wire in a figure 8 pattern and you should be good to go. also the set screw should be backed off slightly, not tight otherwise the inner shift cable can bind up with the slide and cause shifting issues

The set screw that was loose was the one on the lever on the rod. not on the cable itself. do I need to secure that one as well. there is wire on the cable set screws

 

[arrkerr]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

I know this is an old thread, but just in case it turns up in someones search (as it did for me), the wire goes between the two screws, securing them together so that the set screw can't come out. It goes on in a figure-eight pattern. Good description and pictures in the manual in the adults-only section.

 

[cseany66vw]

Re: 3.0 mercruiser alpha 1 wont engage

thanks