I bought an old mako over the summer. The shifter was always very stiff so I thought maybe it was the cable. Once disconnected from the motor the throttle and shifter cable are easy and smooth. It's very difficult to shift manually so I assumed it was a lower unit issue. I pulled the lower unit today and then attempted to shift with the throttle at the helm, very stiff. I detached the cable on the motor and tried manually, very stiff. I have ruled out the lower unit and believe my issue is in the shifter rod bushing. I greased, grease comes out of the bottom of the unit but not the top near the bushing where I believe my problem is. I sprayed lubricant from the top hoping it would drain down and allow for easier shifting but no luck.
Does anyone have any experience with this? My fear is that I need to pull the power head...thanks in advance for any advice.
Does anyone have any experience with this? My fear is that I need to pull the power head...thanks in advance for any advice.