Replaced Bellows now gears won't engage fully?

[capecodtodd]

I finally wrapped up replacing the bellows on my 1998 3.0 Mercruiser alpha1 gen 2 out drive.
Replacing the shift cable bellows required me to pull out the cable. That went back together easily but now when I shift into forward and turn the prop by hand it is skipping and a clinking can be heard from inside like the gears are not engaging. The same thing happens in reverse.
All of this testing is being done by hand without the motor running. The shift was put in forward when the outdrive came off and the 2 pieces married back together where they belong now.

What is odd is my manual and what I have found on line says that between the hole on the shift sleeve that goes to the motor and the barrel should be 6". Mine is more than this by an inch+. I tightened it up getting it close to 6" and I could not shift at the helm. I loosened it up past where it was and the gears were not engaging at all.

I really hate to have to pull the outdrive off again to check the end of the shift cable but what else can it be?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Did you split the lower from the upper units,..??

If not,..... My guess is the roller missed the slot on the bell crank, when you slid the drive on,.....

 

[capecodtodd]

Thanks for replying. I did not split the lower from the top. The first time I put the outdrive on the slot and bell crank did not connect so I had to pull it partially back off and get them inline. They are nicely married together now. I have been trying different adjustments on the engine and was able to get the barrel nut and the front hole on the shift arm to be 6" apart but that was with the gear shift in the forward position. When it is in neutral they are about 6 3/4 apart.
At the bell crank there doesn't seem to be much movement from forward to neutral to reverse. If the boat was a clock and the bow was 12, in Forward the bell crank is pointing almost towards 12. In reverse the bell crank is pointing at about 11. Is this correct? It seems like it should be moving more to really shift those gears.

 

[flashback]

What makes you think the gears aren't engaged fully? The design of the shift dogs pull themselves together once they get introduced to each other...

 

[Bondo]

Thanks for replying. I did not split the lower from the top. The first time I put the outdrive on the slot and bell crank did not connect so I had to pull it partially back off and get them inline. They are nicely married together now. I have been trying different adjustments on the engine and was able to get the barrel nut and the front hole on the shift arm to be 6" apart but that was with the gear shift in the forward position. When it is in neutral they are about 6 3/4 apart.
At the bell crank there doesn't seem to be much movement from forward to neutral to reverse. If the boat was a clock and the bow was 12, in Forward the bell crank is pointing almost towards 12. In reverse the bell crank is pointing at about 11. Is this correct? It seems like it should be moving more to really shift those gears.

Ayuh,..... Yer talking about the shift shoe, 'n foot,.....

I'm talkin' about the bell crank, that meets the cable's end,.....
The roller on the bell crank, rides in the slot on the end of the cable,....

 

[flashback]

Ayuh,..... Yer talking about the shift shoe, 'n foot,.....

I'm talkin' about the bell crank, that meets the cable's end,.....
The roller on the bell crank, rides in the slot on the end of the cable,....

That's an easy connection to loose when shoving 75lbs of drive into position..

 

[capecodtodd]

What makes you think the gears aren't engaged fully? The design of the shift dogs pull themselves together once they get introduced to each other...

If I put the gear shift in forward shouldn't the gears be engaged to the point that I cannot easily turn the prop forward? I can turn it and I hear a clunk, clunk like they are not engaged. Shouldn't they be locked because in the water with this condition it seems that it would be slipping in and out of gear?

 

[capecodtodd]

Ayuh,..... Yer talking about the shift shoe, 'n foot,.....

I'm talkin' about the bell crank, that meets the cable's end,.....
The roller on the bell crank, rides in the slot on the end of the cable,....

Okay. Now I understand what you are asking. There is a long square piece that looks like white metal that the end of the shift cable goes through and there is a little wheel that fits in the slot. It doesn't look like much to actuate the gears but it works. When I had to pull the outdrive partially off to reposition the shift shoe and foot the little wheel was in the slot.
If the roller is in the slot it should be working right. If it was out of it when I shift at the helm the prop should just spin regardless of being in forward or reverse? If it is in the prop should engage when put in forward and I should not be able to turn the prop forward? I'm hearing a clunk when turning it by hand like it is not entirely engaged?

 

[Bondo]

If I put the gear shift in forward shouldn't the gears be engaged to the point that I cannot easily turn the prop forward? I can turn it and I hear a clunk, clunk like they are not engaged. Shouldn't they be locked because in the water with this condition it seems that it would be slipping in and out of gear?

Ayuh,..... It should lock in one direction, 'n ratchet in the other,......

 

[capecodtodd]

Ayuh,..... It should lock in one direction, 'n ratchet in the other,......

The problem is it's not locking which I'm thinking indicates that the lever is not being thrown far enough to lock it in? The shift cable despite it's age looked great. I have tried all sorts of adjustments on the barrel nut at the motor end.
Would it make sense to remove the out drive again and look for or adjust what?

 

[flashback]

disconnect the lower cable from the shift plate and see if you can shift it by hand. You may need a new cable even if it looks fine on the outside its the inside that counts...

 

[capecodtodd]

disconnect the lower cable from the shift plate and see if you can shift it by hand. You may need a new cable even if it looks fine on the outside its the inside that counts...

I just did that and pushed the upper all the way and tried spinning the prop and then pulled it all the way and the prop did the same thing, the gears are not meshing. It has to be something in the outdrive end since I did all I could on the motor side. I'm going to have to pull that outdrive again and see what is going on.

 

[flashback]

Yep I'm guessing that the bell crank and cable got separated during drive install..

 

[capecodtodd]

I took the out drive off again and moved the shift lever by hand and I think the gears are engaging. The little roller on the bell crank was where it should be, sitting in the slot on the shift cable.
I went through the shifting at the helm and checked each position of the seat that meshes with the foot from the lower unit and it looks like the seat is not turning as far as it should to fully engage forward gears. The photos show the shift shoe as it sits with the shifter at the helm in forward. Should it be turned more with the groove dead straight on to the bow of the boat.

Does anyone see anything wrong in these photos?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Replace the lower shift cable,......

As flashback alluded too, the outer casing will get a groove worn into it, so there's slop, 'n it can't travel far enough,....

 

[capecodtodd]

Ayuh,..... Replace the lower shift cable,......

As flashback alluded too, the outer casing will get a groove worn into it, so there's slop, 'n it can't travel far enough,....

Well I have to get a new gasket so why not pick up a new cable while I'm at the boat store too? Hopefully I can get it in without destroying the new boot I just put on. Thank you Bondo and everyone else that chimed in. I will let you know how I make out.

 

[capecodtodd]

Saturday I hit 3 local marine stores and bought the gear cable and gasket kits. Not one of them had the special long socket to remove the shift cable from the bell housing. I found that on Ebay and it arrived yesterday. Today I got to work and I cannot get the old cable casing out. The gear shift bellows does not have a clamp on it and I lubed it up good so the casing can spin in it without binding when backing out the nut with the special tool. The brass nut is turning and the other end detached from the engine is spinning freely from the torque but the nut is only half way out. I reached behind the engine as far as I could get into it and tried to push the casing back towards the engine but it didn't budge.
Why isn't the nut releasing?
I also tried pulling on the plastic piece that sticks out of it with pliers and it still would not budge.
What am I missing here?

 

[Bondo]

Saturday I hit 3 local marine stores and bought the gear cable and gasket kits. Not one of them had the special long socket to remove the shift cable from the bell housing. I found that on Ebay and it arrived yesterday. Today I got to work and I cannot get the old cable casing out. The gear shift bellows does not have a clamp on it and I lubed it up good so the casing can spin in it without binding when backing out the nut with the special tool. The brass nut is turning and the other end detached from the engine is spinning freely from the torque but the nut is only half way out. I reached behind the engine as far as I could get into it and tried to push the casing back towards the engine but it didn't budge.
Why isn't the nut releasing?
I also tried pulling on the plastic piece that sticks out of it with pliers and it still would not budge.
What am I missing here?

Ayuh,..... You no longer need that special socket, as the current lower shift cables allow you to unscrew the long white piece of plastic to screw the new cable in,.....

To remove the old cable, cut it off ahead of the bellhousing,.... yer replacing it anyways,..... it's much easier to handle that way,....

 

[capecodtodd]

Ayuh,..... You no longer need that special socket, as the current lower shift cables allow you to unscrew the long white piece of plastic to screw the new cable in,.....

To remove the old cable, cut it off ahead of the bellhousing,.... yer replacing it anyways,..... it's much easier to handle that way,....

Thanks for your fast response. I was thinking about pushing the bellow back and cutting the shift sleeve off then feeding a wire through the remaining piece, yanking it out from both ends and installing the new. It really bugs me to have to buy a tool for a one time use but what else could be done? Thanks Bondo. Once the sun moves along a bit and puts the back of the boat in the shade again I will give this a go.

 

[flashback]

Ayuh,..... You no longer need that special socket, as the current lower shift cables allow you to unscrew the long white piece of plastic to screw the new cable in,.....

To remove the old cable, cut it off ahead of the bellhousing,.... yer replacing it anyways,..... it's much easier to handle that way,....

Now you tell me! How long has it been like that? LOL