Shifting very difficult

[redlinj]

Hopefully the video uploaded! Shows the fore and aft movement of the lower shift cable! If this is too much, is it adjustable? What’s the purpose of the threaded end with the allen hole and wire retainer?

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

There shouldn't be any play there on the cable itself. So at the engine side, you have no movement from the cable at all, and do have movement at the drive end?

How old is this cable. In your first post you mentioned "Had the bellows, lower shift cable and gimble bearing replaced! Now for some recent history! Last fall, I removed..."
How old is this cable?
The end if the steel inner core has a ball at the end, the allen screw locks this ball in the shift slide so you don't get play like that.

 

[redlinj]

There shouldn't be any play there on the cable itself. So at the engine side, you have no movement from the cable at all, and do have movement at the drive end?

How old is this cable. In your first post you mentioned "Had the bellows, lower shift cable and gimble bearing replaced! Now for some recent history! Last fall, I removed..."
How old is this cable?
The end if the steel inner core has a ball at the end, the allen screw locks this ball in the shift slide so you don't get play like that.

The lower shift cable was supposedly replaced along with the bellows in late April! Boat went into the slip in June! My blunder may have been removing the outdrive and forgetting to place the shifter into forward! Don’t know if it bent the intermediate shift shaft as I can’t see any deformity, but have ordered a new one anyway!

 

[redlinj]

The lower shift cable was supposedly replaced along with the bellows in late April! Boat went into the slip in June! My blunder may have been removing the outdrive and forgetting to place the shifter into forward! Don’t know if it bent the intermediate shift shaft as I can’t see any deformity, but have ordered a new one anyway!

The new shift shaft came in! Comparing the two, I see nothing wrong with the old one! As per the video, the black plastic end moves fore and aft 1/4” or so, but vary little if any movement at the opposite end! Everything on the upper shaft appears as I think it should! I’m going to put it back together, readjust the lower shift cable to 6” and see what happens! Unless of course someone comes up with another thought!

 

[Rick Stephens]

Double check that the set screw on the end of the slider is down *almost* tight against the cable end crimp. Looks/sounds to me like that was not set up correctly.

 

[redlinj]

Ok, been awhile but here’s what’s new! The slip at the outdrive end of the lower shift cable has been eliminated! Let’s call it pilot error! Replaced the water pump and installed the NEW intermediate shift shaft although it didn’t look any different than the old one! Got everything back together and shift controller works fine! Forward, neutral, reverse! Goes into gear nice and smooth! Put the muffs on, start engine and all works fine! Backed it into the water but did not launch the boat! Started the engine and can go from neutral to forward or reverse and back to neutral, but gets stuck again! Shut the engine off and wait 30 seconds or so and hear a pop and shifter will now go into gear! Beginning to think it’s the shifter/controller! Other than that, I’m just frustrated!

 

[Rick Stephens]

Wow. Hard to choose your culprit. Shifter, linkage at motor, bottom end of drive.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Where did it get stuck in? In neutral and cannot get into gear? and it was in the water when this happened? Then you heard a pop and now it's working fine through the gears?

 

[Rick Stephens]

Is the shift interrupt working?

 

[redlinj]

Where did it get stuck in? In neutral and cannot get into gear? and it was in the water when this happened? Then you heard a pop and now it's working fine through the gears?

Gets stuck in neutral when the boat is in the water and engine running. Can shift to forward/reverse but gets stuck going back thru neutral. Shut engine off or wait a bit when running and it might release after hearing a snap/pop! When engine off or running on muffs, it shifts as it should! As for the interruptor, since the engine never stalled when shifting, I never looked into it as a potential source of the problem.

 

[Grub54891]

I’m not going to re-read all the responses righ now, did you replace the lower shift cable?

 

[redlinj]

I’m not going to re-read all the responses righ now, did you replace the lower shift cable?

Not saying this caused the problem, I just don’t know, but the end of April, I had a former marine mechanic replace the gimble bearing, bellows and lower shift cable! Supposedly, all oem!

 

[redlinj]

Evidently, several problems have been uncovered! First, cleaned up the shift interupter connection to the coil! That eliminated the hard/ stuck shift problem! However, now the engine would die when going from reverse to neutral! Also, could not get rpm’s above 2800. Pulled wires off plugs one at a time and found cylinders 1/3 not doing much and compression was 30psi in each! Pulled head and found blown head gasket! Had both heads checked at local shop and will reinstall shortly! Will keep you informed! In the meantime, thanks for all the assistance and concern!