Mercruiser 120 1984 model kill-switch activates too easily

[Michael Dempster]

Engine quits when shifting into reverse. I had this problem on an earlier boat, and learned that a stiff shift cable (the one that goes through the transom) was the culprit. This boat has sat unused for 9 months, so I suspect the same issue. I assume I can remove the stern drive, release the cable at from it's connection at the shift plate on the transom, pull the cable out from the rear, clean the cable well, and put it back together. My questions are, is this the right place to start fixing this issue, and, what kind of lubrication, if any, should I use on the cable? I've searched on line for lube recommendations, I can find little except two references to Kroil. Ideas? Thanks!

 

[matt167]

If you are going through that trouble, replace the cable

 

[Bt Doctur]

cab be:
corrosion in the shift mech when in reverse especially the slide
a bad cable

There is no lubrication of the lower shift cable core

 

[Michael Dempster]

Well, I went with my original plan, thanks, you two, for weighing in. I removed the stern drive, loosened the cable from the shift plate on the transom, and pulled the cable out from the rear. Sure enough, it was covered with sticky grease, and resisted sliding in its sheath. I squirted WD-40 into the cable sheath at the upper end, and pushed the cable in and out of the sheath, cleaning it off each time I pulled it out, then added more WD-40 and kept doing that until the cable came out clean and shiny, maybe 10 repetitions of this procedure, finishing by pulling it out and wiping clean several times without adding any more lubricant. Put it all back together, it works great! Thanks again, Matt and bt.