Alpha gen 1 shift cable adjustment.. cannot get reverse.

[matt167]

Fighting with multiple things and possibilities now with my shifting.. I have a Mercury outboard controller ( new ), so this is a little different than most setups I’m sure. New Teleflex extreme cables. Lower shift is older but in good shape. It’s smooth with very little free play

The controller throws the upper shift cable a little over 3.5” from forward to reverse.. I can catch forward and neutral perfectly but reverse rattles. I pulled the lower shift cable and adjusted it until I could catch reverse. It ended up 6.5” in forward so mathematically and visually it’s not pushing the cable into forward but it does go in.

The outboard controller has a second set of pin positions that are farther out but the cables didn’t seem to line up as well. Do I need to use the second set of holes? I’m getting 3.5” of travel which should be enough I think. What could I be missing?

Right now engine off, I get forward ( prop locked ) in the forward detent. Neutral in neutral and reverse in the reverse detent ( prop locked ). The lower shift cable measures 6.5” in forward but ( engine off ) I have all gears

 

[matt167]

Will it hurt if I took it to the lake adjusted the way it is!

 

[Scott06]

Will it hurt if I took it to the lake adjusted the way it is!

I think if you run it on land and shift in and out of gear and it works/ no clicking once in gear should be ok .

I think the 6.5" just means the lower is stretched.

 

[matt167]

I think if you run it on land and shift in and out of gear and it works/ no clicking once in gear should be ok .

I think the 6.5" just means the lower is stretched.

This is my thinking. The cable came from a running boat and it seemed to be in good shape and it shifted fine. I kept it because I saw nothing wrong with it and the bellows on the gimble are good.

My only concern is that theoretically it’s taking 1/2” of push away from forward. But it locks correctly so it must be okay

 

[Scott06]

This is my thinking. The cable came from a running boat and it seemed to be in good shape and it shifted fine. I kept it because I saw nothing wrong with it and the bellows on the gimble are good.

My only concern is that theoretically it’s taking 1/2” of push away from forward. But it locks correctly so it must be okay

As long as throttle opens fully should be ok

 

[matt167]

So I bought a vintage Clymer manual to have quick reference to specs. It doesn’t acknowledge 6” measurement at all. Basically says compress it and then adjust till it fits, which I guess seems like in 1989 when it was printed, that makes sense for the commoner without internet . then it says to insert the upper shift cable and adjust till it fits, and then adjust the barrel one turn at a time to center the pin on the shift interrupter. That part aside from totally not being quite right, just might work. I still have to check to see where the interrupter is sitting as I didn’t check when I adjusted everything. I didn’t buy the book for critical repairs

 

[nola mike]

Have you looked at @achris video? One of the few that show you how to measure the tolerances. Also the actual service manual is pretty detailed. That clymer isn't the correct procedure. Also Reading initial post, did you raise the cable in the bracket slot? That's the initial adjustment if it doesn't catch reverse
Edit:

 

[matt167]

Have you looked at @achris video? One of the few that show you how to measure the tolerances. Also the actual service manual is pretty detailed. That clymer isn't the correct procedure. Also Reading initial post, did you raise the cable in the bracket slot? That's the initial adjustment if it doesn't catch reverse

Yeah I used Chris’s video initially. Measured 6”, installed. Still can’t catch reverse even with the slot adjusted. I can get it to ratchet but not lock. The way it is, I’ve got it engaging every gear. It’s just 1/2” off from where it should be but seems to work fine.

I know the clymer procedure isn’t right, but for pre internet days it actually made sense. It could actually work. It ignores cable wear/length.. I bought the book for some quick reference spec’s knowing a lot of procedures were wrong, and it wasn’t a lot of money

 

[banderberg]

Yeah I used Chris’s video initially. Measured 6”, installed. Still can’t catch reverse even with the slot adjusted. I can get it to ratchet but not lock. The way it is, I’ve got it engaging every gear. It’s just 1/2” off from where it should be but seems to work fine.

I know the clymer procedure isn’t right, but for pre internet days it actually made sense. It could actually work. It ignores cable wear/length.. I bought the book for some quick reference spec’s knowing a lot of procedures were wrong, and it wasn’t a lot of money

Did you fix your issue?

 

[Bt Doctur]

can you manually move the shift cable to get reverse? could be the shift slide has crud inside it preventing full travel

 

[matt167]

Did you fix your issue?

I got it to shift into forward and reverse. It’s still not adjusted to spec but seems fine out of water

 

[matt167]

can you manually move the shift cable to get reverse? could be the shift slide has crud inside it preventing full travel

Yup I can shift fully by pulling and pushing the cable

 

[tank1949]

You may have already done this, but disconnect one piece at a time at your control linkage to determine if cable is binding, where it is binding, or your problem is in your OD. Grease gets hard over time.

 

[kenny nunez]

Also blowing out the cavity that the slider travels in for reverse may help. You would be surprised how much marine sludge will come out.

 

[tank1949]

Also blowing out the cavity that the slider travels in for reverse may help. You would be surprised how much marine sludge will come out.

I don't know how you could do that. It'd take too long for WD40 or any solvent to work its way through shift cable. Mine is 15 feet. I'd love to know how. My helm's shifter linkage was full of harden grease after boat set for almost 4 years. I was having a similar problem to above. I could not get shifter in neutral to start motor due to grease solidifying. I dumped several squirts of 10-30/and WD 40 oil into it to free at helm, but I suspect that grease has also gotten hard in slider cavity. I don't want to spend 300 bucks or more for a new cable.

 

[matt167]

I have new control and new Teleflex cables. I guess the lower shift cable might be gummed up. I left the gimbal complete when I swapped it to my StarCraft

Fwiw, the cables were $50 each for 14’ cables

 

[tank1949]

I have new control and new Teleflex cables. I guess the lower shift cable might be gummed up. I left the gimbal complete when I swapped it to my StarCraft

Fwiw, the cables were $50 each for 14’ cables

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