Hey all. Wow, I take a 2 year leave, and this site goes ALL OFFICIAL. 
anyways, Ive got the In-laws into boating now, and they got their own boat with its own problems.
Its been sitting in a garage, out of the weather, for about a decade. and this thing is beautiful!! but, I think the sitting has caused some of the problems.
Its an '85 Mercruiser, chev 305 4-bbl. Theres only 2 problems with it, and I hope theyre related.
One is the Dying problem that happens every time it shifts into (either) gear. With ya'lls help, I went out and believe it is (one of) the shift cables. The Y-actuater is moving as the cable moves into gear, activating the safety switch, and killing the motor. So, That IS the cable, right??
The second is a little more tricky: moving the shifter into reverse, the motor throttles up, but it never goes into gear. Not even the clicking noises I could hope for. I would believe its out of adjustment, but they say it was working when it was parked, so Im not totally sure.
If it is also the cable(s) causing the problem: How hard is it to change??
any tricks or snags that would get me lynched by the in-law mob?
Im pretty competent on autos, but boats is hit-n-miss..
I have the guide in the adults section, and the paper book on mercruisers, but I find much difference between theory and practice, so I ask ya'll who have done this before.
Thanks much in advance,
Jon.
anyways, Ive got the In-laws into boating now, and they got their own boat with its own problems.
Its been sitting in a garage, out of the weather, for about a decade. and this thing is beautiful!! but, I think the sitting has caused some of the problems.
Its an '85 Mercruiser, chev 305 4-bbl. Theres only 2 problems with it, and I hope theyre related.
One is the Dying problem that happens every time it shifts into (either) gear. With ya'lls help, I went out and believe it is (one of) the shift cables. The Y-actuater is moving as the cable moves into gear, activating the safety switch, and killing the motor. So, That IS the cable, right??
The second is a little more tricky: moving the shifter into reverse, the motor throttles up, but it never goes into gear. Not even the clicking noises I could hope for. I would believe its out of adjustment, but they say it was working when it was parked, so Im not totally sure.
If it is also the cable(s) causing the problem: How hard is it to change??
any tricks or snags that would get me lynched by the in-law mob?
Im pretty competent on autos, but boats is hit-n-miss..
I have the guide in the adults section, and the paper book on mercruisers, but I find much difference between theory and practice, so I ask ya'll who have done this before.
Thanks much in advance,
Jon.
