shift cable dissasembly

[stonyloam]

1987, alpha 1, 3.7l 4cyl, "new" style shift cable (nut on aft side). I need to remove the bellhousing to replace the gimbal ring on my boat. To do this I need to remove the shift cable right? It was replaced a few years ago and is good shape so would like to re-use it. I assume that I should be able to remove the end guide, and pull the core wire out to remove slider, then proceed to remove the cable. My problem is that I don't see any way to remove the plastic end guide. Book says remove two set screws. Don't see set screws on mine, just round metal caps. Are the set screws under the caps? If so how do you remove them? This cable was replaced a few years ago by Merc dealer, so assume that it is a Merc cable. Thanks!

 

[Don S]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

You don't have to remove the cable from the bellhousing. You do have to remove the inside core wire and engine side connecting hardware, and disconnect the shift cable bellows from the transom shield, then pull the cable out of the transom shield along with the bellhousing.
Sure hope you have the OEM manual #6 from the Adults Only sticky downloaded and read before you start.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

You do have to remove the inside core wire and engine side connecting hardware,

That is my problem, I can't remove the core wire. There are no setscrews visible on the shifter guide. Just round caps. Are the screws under the caps or what? If so how are they removed?

#6 downloaded and studied. So once the pivot pins are out and bellows removed I can just pull the bell housing out far enough so that it is not in the way when the gimbal ring is removed, correct?

 

[ziggy]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

My problem is that I don't see any way to remove the plastic end guide. Book says remove two set screws. Don't see set screws on mine, just round metal caps.

there's a pic in s/m #8. on pp 2A2. this looks like the pic you need to me.
it looks similar to my drive as far as the end guide goes. the end guide has a nyloc nut on the end of it. this is the plastic piece i think your referring to. the set screws should be right behind this hole in the end guide that mounts to the stud. they're square post drive set screws on mine. you loosen them (2 ea., one on ea. side 180* from ea. other) and you can slide the end guide off after you remove the nyloc nut that the cable mounts too. i've never seen one, but thats the way i see it with putting what i know about my drive and looking at the s/m for your rig..
yes, you can reuse the cable as long as nothing is wrong with it. mine's a year old and i just reused it after a bellhousing disassembly going for the water hose..
that's my speculation... w/o never seein one..

oh, if it's like mine, after you release the cable from the end guide via the set screws. when you slide the cable out of the end guide, you'll drop the small piece that the set screws mount into. is just a small round piece of steel stock, set screw, screw threads in both ends, and a hole in the middle for the cable to travel though. w/o the cable in place, the round stock will just fall out of the end guide. don't loose it it the bilge..

 

[Don S]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

From page 4A-14 of manual #6
Take the hardware off the end of the cable as shown below.

There may also be some spiral wrap around the cable down where it comes through the transom shield. You will need to pull it off too.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

there's a pic in s/m #8. on pp 2A2. this looks like the pic you need to me.

Thanks Ziggy. That is exactly what mine looks like (two barrel) except where the set screw is supposed to be (that little metal square near the end) there is NO setscrew, just round metal caps on BOTH sides, there is a tiny hole in front of the caps and I can see the core wire, don't have a clue. Don't know how to take them off or what is under them.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

Don Thanks for the illustration. At number a where there is supposed to be the setscrew, that is where the round caps are. I might have a photo.

 

[ziggy]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

yep, s/m 6, 4a14 is the pic too... proper blow up of it too.
i think were gonna need a pic of it man. dons' the man. looks like he's thinking square drive setscrews too. i don't know about what your describing. for all practical purposes, them set screws clamp almost directly to the inner core wire. the set screws are what hold the guide to the core wire so they move together...

 

[Don S]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

don't know about what your describing.

I do,,,,, it's called rounded over by rust. See it quite often. If that part is that bad and rounded over by rust, do yourself a favor and put in a new OEM cable, which includes new ends, and bellows.
With the work involved, I wouldn't even give a second thought about installing a new shift cable and cable bellows at this point if the old cable was only 2 years old.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

I have photos of everything but. I will do my best to describe them. Where the set screw should be there are two round metal "caps". they are about 3/16 in diameter, about 1/8 inch high. they appear to be part of a hex head that is recessed into a hex shaped hole in the guide. There appears to be no way to turn them or take them off, just don't know. I'll take a good photo next time . It is a mystery.

Thanks for trying

 

[stonyloam]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

What a frikin idiot!!! I was looking at the WRONG cable. Never mind

And Thanks!!

 

[ziggy]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

hum..........

the experience that dons has shines through. interesting. 3/16'' though. that's wider than a square set screw. i wonder if someone lost the oem set screws and replaced them with some kinda cap screw. that might expaline the extra dia. have ya tried to grab them with some vise grips and unscrew them? yep pics...

 

[Don S]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

I'll wait for pics. Have never seen what you describe.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: shift cable dissasembly

Sorry I was looking at the THROTTLE cable, not the shift cable.
Thanks