Replacement for 1989'ish Commander Panel Mount Throttle Control

My 1989'ish panel mount quicksilver Comander control needs to be replaced. Any suggestions for a repacment would be appeciated. I had very exprienced marine mechanic work on it , and he mentions they are problematic .It won't allow the motor to start because it senses the drive is not in neutral. Mechanic can't fix the existing problem in the defective control .( he just retired this spring ,helped write past mercruiser servce manuals ) I'm looking for a replacment to control my 1989 4.3 litre . Hopefully I'll find one I can still use the existing control cables on. Thanks.

Mine is 1987 yours 1989.

Problematic? Is over 30 years of use considered problematic?

What exactly is wrong?

The neutral safety electrical switch?

Or the push button for neutral start up, disconnects shifting and allows throttle only???

kghost said:

Mine is 1987 yours 1989.

Problematic? Is over 30 years of use considered problematic?

What exactly is wrong?

The neutral safety electrical switch?

Or the push button for neutral start up, disconnects shifting and allows throttle only???

Click to expand...

kghost said:

Mine is 1987 yours 1989.

Problematic? Is over 30 years of use considered problematic?

What exactly is wrong?

The neutral safety electrical switch?

Or the push button for neutral start up, disconnects shifting and allows throttle only???

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply kghost, initially it was the wires wound around the throttle shaft shorting out where the insulation had failed causing some other intermittent electrical problems. My mechanic repaired that problem . I havn't seen inside the control since last fall, pardon me if I am incorrect , but I believe there was a relatively large flat plastic ring on that shaft with what I will describe as a lay person, to have detents in it that somehow trigger the switch which won't allow the engine to start when the the drive is in gear. He could no longer get the worn plastic ring to mesh consistently with the other components ,it wasn't returning to the proper poition when the throttle lever was put in neutral so it would cause the failure. At frst aftr the repair it would work but after a few hours and shifting from neutral to F AND R the motor wouldn't strt . He took it apart and diagnosed the problem. I had this 4.3 L engne in a welcraft , pulled it out and and had it installed in this boat. I should have kept the Morse control from the welcraft which still worked .that is why I thought I would ask for a recommendation on an alternative used control rather than buying the same one of the same age with the potential same problem. It's either that or a newer control and cables and other fittings at the engine.