shift cable disconnect - Merc 1150

[WetRaider]

OK ... perhaps I'm just losing my mind.

My shift cable keeps disconnecting inside the motor housing.  In the "nest" that holds the shift and throttle cables, shift is on bottom.  There is a flip-cap style holder that secures the threaded "peg" allowing for minor adjustments of the cable.  The end of the cable has a fitting with a whole and a pin.  The fitting on the shift arm attached to the motor has a pin and a threaded shaft.  Since I only took this apart in October and haven't really looked under the cowl since, I'm wondering if I lost a part - after all, the project took on significantly more scope than originally planned when I put it away. 

The hole in the end of the cable does fit over the threaded shaft - but without enough room left over to fasten a nut over the top.  It drops down nicely over the pin, but the secured nut doesn't provide for any "coverage" to prevent the pin from popping off.  It will pull ok, but as soon as the cable has to push the shift arm back, it lifts right off the pin.

Anybody with a picture of the shift cable connection on the Mercury (preferably without the throttle cable in the way)?  Anybody with a properly connected Mercury who can take a look and tell me what I'm doing wrong?  Today's a great day for me to be working on it ...

[Jason]

Dosen't your shift cable look like this?



Are you missing the little twist lock thingy?

[Rich_V174SS]

As pictured in the previous post but in addition to the twist lock thingy there should also be a nut thingy on the threaded post to hold the twist lock thingy in place. There might also need to be a springy thingy or washer on the threaded post between the twist lock and nut thingies.

Parts 22, 21, 34, 33, 32, 31, & 23 below:

[badgercarlson]

Note that the two "wings" on the part that holds the end of the cable are not the same.  You must have this part positioned as shown in my pic and Jason's pic or the shift will pop off. Then tighten the lock nut to hold the winged part in place.

[WetRaider]

That winged part is what I'm missing ....
I can go looking for it - and hope it is with my gear,
or I can accept that it's quite possible the PO used a flat washer big enough to cover it (as he did with the helm) ...

Thanks, guys !! 

[WetRaider]

FOUND IT !!
So I owe the PO a little more credit than I gave him.  The original wing-nut looking thingy was there.  And, it was not with my boat gear .... sitting in the tool closet of the basement all by itself on the top of a gallon of paint.  At some point I must have known it was a piece not to be thrown out.

Off to True Value for some stainless Nylok nuts to hold these suckers on.  Looks like I should be with boat at Red Wing after all.  Everyone knock on wood for me.  Running or not, I'm bringing the bi**h ... it'd just be more fun if she gets wet.

[Bayflite73]

Well done Dan!

Gotta love a thread that refers to parts as "thingy's"! 

I know I do!

[Hyperacme]

Rich ...
Was like I was reading one of my posts !

Springy Thingy ...
... LOL

[WetRaider]

Confident I have all the parts except for one nut.  Took the nut off the throttle cable connection and went down to True Value.  Throttle cable nut matched a Metric size 6, 1.00 thread pitch.  Hmm.  No stainless parts in metric.  Ok.  Zinc plated Nylok, metric 6/1.00 - get it home, no go.

Should have just bought me a 1/4" 20 just in case.  Once connected, with the proper fitting above the pin & cable, I've got some difficulty getting into reverse.  Don't remember the difficulty before (with the original Quicksilver controls) ... when I try to adjust the cable for an easier shift into reverse, it seems that I can't fully come out of forward into Neutral unless I go from Forward to Reverse, then back to Neutral.  Hmmm.

[Jerry]

Meyris on a Merc?
It's 1/4 NF

[WetRaider]

Jerry - the nut I pulled off the throttle connection was a metric - but the threaded post is stripped up.

I did buy 1/4" 20 tpi and it started going on very smoothly.  Felt just like a Nylok nut should in the handle of my ratchet ... then, it started spinning.  Something's stripped.  Can't back it out.  It's not 100 percent tight, either - because the wing thingy is still loose enough to wobble out of the way.

I anticipated 10-20 minutes to connect both those cables and be off to the races ... no such luck.

[Rich_V174SS]

Confident I have all the parts except for one nut.  Took the nut off the throttle cable connection and went down to True Value.  Throttle cable nut matched a Metric size 6, 1.00 thread pitch.  Hmm.  No stainless parts in metric.  Ok.  Zinc plated Nylok, metric 6/1.00 - get it home, no go.

Should have just bought me a 1/4" 20 just in case.  Once connected, with the proper fitting above the pin & cable, I've got some difficulty getting into reverse.  Don't remember the difficulty before (with the original Quicksilver controls) ... when I try to adjust the cable for an easier shift into reverse, it seems that I can't fully come out of forward into Neutral unless I go from Forward to Reverse, then back to Neutral.  Hmmm.

You need to adjust the cable for neutral, the forward & reverse should fall into place on their own. With the control in neutral and the slider on the engine as centered into neutral as you can get it adjust the barrel on the cable to match then lock them in place.

If the cable doesn't seem to push far enough to completely engage forward or reverse then you need to check the cable mounting location inside the control box. If there are inner and outer anchor points on the cam make sure it's mounted to the outer anchor point (further from the center pivot) to provide more movement of the cable at the engine.

[WetRaider]

Rich - that's how I had set the cable the first time.  Neutral shift - prop spins freely both directions with no rattle or clink in the gear case.  Engaging forward goes easy - engaging reverse requires some serious effort.  I'm wondering if it's because the threaded shaft is stripped (probably from PO's metric nuts) before the nut sets tightly over the twist release.  If I can manage to back out the nut, I can drop a few washers down where the stripped portion is and still get this thing secure.

[WetRaider]

Looks to me like the link rod assembly (#20 on the diagram) contains the threaded shaft this bolt goes onto ... and it's obsolete.  Soooooo ... maybe I can tighten a second nut down on top of the first & use the top nut to work the bottom down to some threads it can grab onto. 

Also ... the throttle is activated by a pull on the cable.  I set up the controls with a push.  My fault.  Pulling my sexy new panels off to get to the back of the controls and move my throttle to a pull location.  Oh well.

[Jason]

I think it's suppose to have a spring and washer below the nut. You shouldn't need to take a nut off to turn the twisty thing. Thats how it is on my outboards. if you can get the nut off again maybe you can find a spring and washer.

[WetRaider]

The spring and washer is there - but the shaft is stripped before the nut is set down solid.  So with a nut on, in the stripped position, you can still move the twisty thingy off the top of the cable connection.  I need the nut to tighten down a couple more turns to seat itself enough that the cable can't pop off.

Pulled the panel and the controls.  Changed the position of the throttle cable.  New problem.  In idle, the cable is pushing against the throttle arm.  When you advance the throttle at the controls, the cable pulls the throttle arm at the motor and it works it's magic through the distributor and carburetors.  When in idle, the cable is pushed so far that the connection hole (the one that should slip down over the threaded shaft) is beyond the threaded shaft by 1/2 inch.  I have no more adjustment left.  There is one slightly possible solution ---- involves removing my sexy panels and controls one more time.  I'm done for tonight.  It's almost midnight.  Blah.