Sure would appreciate you techs and old salts giving this a read and reply.

[boltonranger]

I have an '88 - 3.7 Alpha1.
I was finding the shifter wouldn't always come out of forward unless I overshot neutral on purpose. I have Seloc book so I decided to adjust the cables.
Without being verbose - the procedure described didn't work (for me). I took my time and tried several times.

So I ended up having my wife help as I adjusted to what I thought was correct.
I landed on having neutral be vertical,
Forward being about 15 or 20 degrees ahead; (before the detent though)
Reverse being 15 or 20 degrees back from neutral...
It shifts in and out on the muffs while running,
It no longer chatters in neutral like it did when the shop gave it back top me for
the second time last summer (The first time they forgot the locknuts; yeah - I was on the river when it all fell apart)

So I have what in my mind, is a correctly functioning shifter - I even relocated the cable above the barrel not below like they had done it.

My question is: "I read about '4 turns to pre-load the cable' and whilst I twiddled the brass barrel to my liking and got it all to work, Have I overlooked something by not intentionally preloading the cable?"

Everything seems to work but have I foolishly missed the point somewhere?

Sure would appreciate you techs and old salts giving this a read and reply.
thx.
-br

 

[Don S]

Re: Sure would appreciate you techs and old salts giving this a read and reply.

Here's a link to the OEM service manual. Compare it to that cheap aftermarket manual. I think you will now have ALL the information on adjusting the cables, instead of just part of them.

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6covr3.pdf

When you click the link, scroll to the last page (outline) and click on the LETTER of the section you want to read.

 

[boltonranger]

Re: Sure would appreciate you techs and old salts giving this a read and reply.

Thanks Don; appreciate it;
however - when I click those links on the last page it says "pdf such and so not found"
What am I doing wrong?
-br

 

[Don S]

Re: Sure would appreciate you techs and old salts giving this a read and reply.

Got me, it works fine for me.
I know how to fix boats, not computers.

 

[boltonranger]

Re: Sure would appreciate you techs and old salts giving this a read and reply.

I got 'er now Don.

blasted computers..

Thanks a million..
-br