Upper shift cable?

[rickasbury]

I've had so much stuff apart but I can't remember the cables for shifting...I had my motor out a while back and replaced the lower shift cable, 350 mpi/bravo lll. At the ramp today and pulled off the trailer and parked her at the dock and parked the truck. Back to the boat, started up and cast off- no forward or reverse . Throttle works. I first thought I blew the coupler ( which has been replaced) or trashed the bravo lll (300 hours). I had it running once I got pulled back to the dock and moved the shifter- I can see the throttle moving but I don't see the shifter mechanism moving..there is a separate cable for throttle and shifter right? I replaced the shift handle because the trim switch was not working but I don't recall taking any cables apart...how does that push button work that disengage the outdrive to rev...I had just pushed that, could it have gotten stuck?

 

[Chris1956]

MerCruisers have upper and lower shift cables. They meet at the motor, next to the carb or intake throttle body. There is a shift interrupt switch there as well. A service manual will show the configuration.

As for the control, the throttle only button disconnects the shift cable from the throttle arm at the control. They can stick. Usually, you can pull them out to reengage the shifter mechanism.

 

[alldodge]

Takes both cables to work, one throttle one shift

Check to see if the throttle only button got stuck

 

[rickasbury]

I have the boat home...while it was running on the water there was no resistance back and forth like it was throttle. At home, not running, definitely resistance (did not push it). I'll have to get it back home and running to figure it out..I pulled the drain plug and there is no rubber pieces or smell of rubber so I'm really hoping it's not the coupler...

 

[alldodge]

The Bravo drive should only be shifted with motor running.

 

[rickasbury]

The Bravo drive should only be shifted with motor running.

Correct- I offered the comment as when I was at the ramp, motor running it shifted with no resistance- I really thought one of the cables had broken as there was so little resistance- like it was only the throttle engaging- so when I got home I checked the push button on the handle it seems to be "out" and as I tested the cables by moving the handle forward I had immediate resistance and stopped as apparently no cables are broken- so back to the ramp this weekend and I will try it again. I don't seem to have any rubber pieces in the bilge or burnt rubber smell so I'm
praying it is not the coupler...I had depressed the button and move the handle to aid starting, perhaps it hung up and I panicked to quickly to get out of the water without checking things out- other than lifting the hatch and from what I could see from the helm it did not look like the hardware for shifting on top of the motor was moving as I moved the handle..