Alpha shift issue

"I recently purchased a used b

"I recently purchased a used boat (1985)with an early Alpha 3.0. Tested it out for about an hour and it worked except for a blown head gasket. I have been working on it for about 3 weeks now, doing a lot of needed and PM work. Replaced all the transom bellows, trim limit and sender, gimbal bearing, etc.
Problem is this: When trying to adjust the shift cable, I find that there does not seem to be enough stroke in the actuator. If I adjust for neutral and forward, I have no reverse. If I adjust for neutral and reverse, I have no forward. When adjusted for one, and the cable removed from the actuator arm and pushed or pulled to get the other gear, it seems to need about 1/4" more stroke needed. I have checked out the remote, and it is tight, lubricated, and no free play. When the drive is off on the bench, the shift shaft seems to be correct, straight ahead for forward, and about 60-70 degrees to port for reverse, with little free play in either position with the prop held, so it does not seem like much wear in the shift spool or crank. The shift actuator on the engine is in great shape, not worn. In fact, the engine seems to have relatively low time for a 23 year old boat. For model information, it is the metal shift arm, no shift assist, plastic fulcrum on the cable from the remote.

I have tried it with the adjustable stud full up on the actuator arm, still not enough travel.

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to what could be the issue? I have the Seloc, Chilton, and Mercruiser manuals, nothing mentions this type of problem. The lower shift cable seems to be in good shape, but I ordered a new kit to replace it anyway. Not looking forward to the task of getting it through the shift bellows, again! That was one difficult task to say the least. Boy, have I had some choice words for Mercruiser over the last couple of weeks! Has mankind ever developed something more difficult to work on, ever?"

"Instead of adjusting for forw

"Instead of adjusting for forward & neutral, or reverse and neutral, try adjust for a centered neutral!
Disconnect shift cable from its forward mount. Pull adjustmen barrel from its mounting sleeve. Place shift handle in neutral. Push the cable end all the way back, have someone rotate the prop slowly to make sure gear is engaged and that cable is fully seated. Use a marker pen to mark a line on the cable at the rear most position of the black mounting end. Now pull the cable to the fore most position, again having someone rotate propeller to make sure gear is engaged and cable is fully seated forward. Once more use pen to mark the cable at the rear of the black mounting end in this position.
Now mark a line halfway between the two marks and move the cable end piece to this centered position. Holding the cable in this location, rotate the adjustment barrel to where it will easily slide into the sleeve when the fore end of the black mounting end is in exact position to be bolted down. Slide barrel into sleeve, clip it in, bolt the end mount. If all has been done right, neutral is where it should be, and the fore and rear position represent your gears.

This method has worked for me for many years, every time."

"I have an alpha one 3.7 L wit

"I have an alpha one 3.7 L with a similar issue, engine starts fine however to engage the propeller into drive, I have to shift into reverse and then into forward. This is a major pain. Do you think this possibly related to the same issue or any other suggestions?

Thanks
Bob"

why would you shift into rever

why would you shift into reverse if you want to go forward??? doesn't make sence. I have the same motor and outdrive and there is no way what your saying could be happening unless your cable that goes from you shift/throttle cable may be messed up in the unit itself?????

"I checked the free play on th

"I checked the free play on the outdrive shift shaft per the manual, and was well within the allowable 12 degrees, as I only had 6-7 degrees free play. I put in a new lower shift cable assembly, and it still would not work. Pulled out the remote assembly, and found that it would travel a little farther in reverse when you went into the throttle movement. I purchased a used Morse/Teleflex remote and installed it this morning. Now I have enough travel to shift from forward to reverse and back, but still just barely. It works, so glad for that, just wish there was about 1/4" more travel to play with. I have the pivot in the shift assembly all the way up, so there is still something not quite right, but I cannot find anything else to change.

If it gives me any trouble at all when I get it in the water I will make a little extension plate for the remote to get the pivot slightly farther out on the arm."

How long are your cables. If

How long are your cables. If they are too long and have a lope or too many bends you will loose throw ( the amount the end moves) Never lope a control cable

adjsut the drive shift cable s

adjsut the drive shift cable so it measures 6 inches from the center of the brass barrel to the center to of the eyelet on the end od the cable install back into the bracket adjust the remote cable so it lines up with the pins then back off 4 additional turns also made sure the drive is in full forward and the prop is engaged in forward gear hope this helps

"Though not usually needed, yo

"Though not usually needed, you can file the slot hole in the shift arm to make it longer, and gain more stroke.

Rod"

"Cables are about 13 and 14 fe

"Cables are about 13 and 14 feet long, no loops.

I put in a new lower shift cable, and tried to set it to 6" pin to barrel as shown in the manual, but cannot. With the drive in forward, and the cable as far in as it will go, there is about 5 5/8" with the barrel as far back as it can go and still allow it to slip into the holder. If I screw the barrel any further back, the locknut on the cable hits the holder.

Anyway, I got everything I was doing about done today, put the hose on it and started it up, and it seems to shift just fine. The lower shift cable does not have travel all the way to the full extents when I put it in forward and reverse and lock it. I marked the full extents, and with the shift adjustments set right in the center when the remote is in neutral, I can only get shift range to within about 3/16" of the full cable move marks on both forward and reverse. I will get it in the water next weekend, finally, so hope it does as well as it seems to do on the hose today."

"Thanks for all the help, I di

"Thanks for all the help, I didn't have to adjust so overall I don't know what is different. Recently bought the boat so it may have sat for a while, but all is good now."