OMC outdrive shift problems

"Okay, first it was the impell

"Okay, first it was the impeller, then ther t-stat, now the lower shift cable.......We have a mechanic that is going to help us, thank god, my question is this, how do we know if we need the kit or just the cable. Mechanic says just the cable, and a new exhaust bellows, Any experts on the subject would help.....I am questioning because the marina asked if the cable had been replace already, if not we needed to upgrade, is there a way to tell if it has been upgraded already? Still waiting to fish.........lol"

"Hi Cathy...generally as a rul

"Hi Cathy...generally as a rule of thumb the old bad cables were black and the replacement ones were red. I find it hard to believe yours wouldn't have been changed by now at some point but you never know, of course even if it was changed it could be due again?"

"Been there, Cathy. As Bob sai

"Been there, Cathy. As Bob said, the old ones were black, and the new are red, but even the red ones go bad, particularly if you're running in salt water. I use five years as a rule of thumb on the life of mine, but it depends on how often you use the boat. You'll normally need new bellows about then anyway, so the outdrive is off. Something else to check is the shift rod itself. I've had the wiper on one partially dislodge from the shift cover and bind the rod; acted just like a bad cable, but cheaper to fix! In any case, don't quit until you're sure the problem's been resolved, as new gearsets are $$$."