Won't shift into forward

[bwren]

ok have a problem driving me crazy. I just redid the vinyl in my 1996 thunderbolt with 3.0 mercruiser/alpha one outdrive . while doing that i had to take the remote control off the wall. I moved it into the WOT position in order to get the TO button out and remove not. So when i reassembled it I put the shift handle on in the forward WOT position and put it back on the way it came off.

BUT NOW....

the boat will not crank. when trying to crank the prop spins fast enough to churn a good amount of water which means it's in gear correct?
problem is shift switch is in the neutral position. when i move the remote to reverse the shift switch moves to the right (if you are looking at it. it moves towards the carb) but when i move the remote to the forward position, the shift cable moves but the shift switch does not. i have tried adjusting the barrel on the shift cable and it does not help in either direction.

here are my theories but have no clue if any of them are close. i am a relative newbie on the boat parts of the motor.

1) somehow the remote cable was pulled so when i put the handle back on in the forward WOT position it wasn't actually in the same position as when i took it off. problem with this theory is when i put the TO button back in and put it in neutral it did pop in correctly. so not sure what to think on that one.

2) the shift cable end has somehow gone bad. when i adjusted the barrel i noticed it slide extremely easy. doesn't seem to have enough tension to move the switch. problem with this theory is when i adjust the barrel toward the stern, it stopped shifting into reverse and STILL would not shift into forward. but when adjust the barrel towards the bow it will go back to shifting into reverse but still not forward.

please help! i am at a loss. the shift cable itself moves so it doesn't seem like that's bad, it just won't move the shift switch!!

 

[Bondo]

it just won't move the shift switch!!

Ayuh,.... I'm guessin', if there's a problem it's in the controller,....

Btw,....
The shift switch shouldn't move at All, unless comin' Outa gear, In the water, With a load on the prop,.....

 

[bwren]

So I should try my first thought? Take the controller handle back off and put it on in a different position?

 

[AShipShow]

Not sure whats going on with the interrupt switch, however, not going to lie, I've done this in the spring when I forgot how to boat... Is the dead man switch in the on position... cmon, we've all done it... It will crank with the switch off, but won't start...

EDIT: I misread the actual problem... I thought you just weren't able to get it started... as far as not being able to go into forward, I agree with Bondo, gotta be something in the actual controller that got outa whack

 

[bwren]

well it won't start because it's in gear. i know this switch can be by passed but i'm not sure how. problem is since it's stuck in gear i couldnt stop lol. i will try to take the contoller handle off again and readjust

 

[Bondo]

well it won't start because it's in gear. i know this switch can be by passed but i'm not sure how.

Ayuh,.... Yer shift switch is by-passed by unpluggin' the wire, either 1,...

The neutral safety switch is by-passed by jumpin' power to the yellow/ red terminals of the slave solenoid,...

 

[kenny nunez]

I am just guessing. I have re read the first post several times. If the control cables were removed they may be reversed . Disconnect the cables out of the control box and move the handle around while holding the key to start until the starter engages , The handle should be @ the 12 O clock position, if not remove it and re mount it.

 

[bwren]

I didn't remove the cables themselves. I just took the controller off the wall so I could revinyl the wall. I'm wondering if something happened to change the position of controller wheel while the handle was off

 

[kenny nunez]

What does the controller look like? Can you describe it.

 

[bwren]

It's an older quicksilver 3000 with the square throttle only button. When I took it off moved to the WOT position so the TO button would pop out and remove the handle. The unscrewed it from wall leaving the cables on. Then when I put the walls back in I just reversed the process to put it back on

 

[kenny nunez]

Did it shift correctly before you removed the control? Try removing the cable that goes to the outdrive and push and pull the end of the cable to be sure it is able to put the drive in forward and reverse , it should move easily.

 

[bwren]

yes it did shift shift fine before i took it off. i did what you said and took the cable off and everything seemed fine. when i reconnected it i shifted the controller and it seemed fine too. engine would only turn over with controller in neutral. so now it seems more like something is just preventing it from cranking now. i have a new theory that something may have happened to the safety kill switch on the controller during the off and on process. is there anyway to bypass that to test the theory?

 

[kenny nunez]

It could be a break inside the wire harness coming out of the control box.

 

[bwren]

is there a way to bypass the kill switch to test it? if i can bypass and it cranks, i will just get a new control. probably bump it up to a quicksilver 4000

 

[kenny nunez]

Look behind the instrument panel, follow the yellow /red stripe from the ignition switch to the wire that matches the color that comes from the control box. You can just join them together but remember it now starts in gear so be careful. Or you can go from the "S" side of the switch with a wire that will go to the small terminal on the boost solenoid yellow/ red tracer.

 

[stonyloam]

If it is the older Commander control with the square TO button, I don't think it has a "kill switch", it has a neutral safety switch. The kill switch attaches to a lanyard that if pulled cuts the ignition and stops the motor. The neutral safety switch is a micro switch inside of the control that closes when you are in neutral and allows the starter to crank over. If your control shifts but you can not get the engine to crank over that is where your trouble probably is.

 

[bwren]

This is getting so frustrating. I joined those 2 wires together and still won't crank. It is on neutral now because the prop is no longer spinning as the engine turns over. Kill switch is bypassed. It has fuel flow. I just don't understand it

 

[bwren]

It does have a kill switch with the lanyard which I just bypassed. Still nothing

 

[stonyloam]

OK bypassing the kill switch does not do it, the NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH is what is preventing the starter from working. That is the internal micro switch. I believe it is #26 here: http://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/32078/1989/50

 

[bwren]

I don't remember seeing that when I had it apart but I will go double check. If it does have one I will bypass it also to test.