wet shift shaft cable question

[ihaveabrownboat]

1980 vintage Mercruiser 165. Changing shift cable and have a question.

Inside bellows and length of outer cable housing is dry. When removing cable gut the inner housing and cable gut are wet for much of its length.

If it's dry outside how is it wet inside? As with much else on this thing; I don't undertand.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: wet shift shaft cable question

It came in through the drive end no doubt. Even though the inside of the bellows is dry it's wet and that's a no go. Maybe it came down he middle of the drive end.
Whatever, since it's wet in there, it needs to go.