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BRAVO 1 SHIFT CABLE

Big Red

Big Red

Well-known member
I had my outdrive off a couple of weeks ago and shifting is acting funny. Yesturday I got on the boat hard for a while and stopped and put the boat in netural. I went to take back off and the boat would not go into gear foward or rev. I opened the engine hatch and took the cable off that went to the controls and manually tried to put the boat in gear. I got nothing. I lifted the foot all the way up with the trailer button " with engine off " and lowered it back down and it went into gear and had no more problems that day.

Is it possible the cable is not locked into the jaws right. I am talking about when you take the drive off where that clamp thing holds the cable end.
 
I cant see how raising the drive would effect the drives ability to shift. Maybe it was just a co-incidence? If the cable was not in the jaw properly, the drive wouldnt shift at all. If it were me, I would do as you are, pull the drive and take a look.
My guess is that the cone clutch in the drive heated up after the hard run and cooled down while you were messing around with the cables. After cooling, it allowed the drive to shift. If you dont see anything wrong with the cables or jaw, I would pull the back cover off and check out the shift mechanism. At that point, you can shift the drive manually and check it out. It is difficult to really get a good look at the clutch while its still in the drive, you can only see a little bit of it. However, take a look for any unusual marks or burns.
 
Leave it to me to have the odd ball problems with weird symptoms. That kinked water hose drove me crazy.

I have a pic of a bravo 1 below is this the cover you are taking about. It looks like 3 bolts hold it on.

bravo_1.jpg
 
Yes, but that drive is Mercurys newest. I am pretty sure you dont have that one. The attached link may help you out a bit. Look at part 1, that is the cover I am referring to.


http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_Pictures3.asp?dnbr=880951%2000&ivar=images/COMMON/2492.png&inbr=5398&bnbr=100&bdesc=UNIVERSAL+JOINT+AND+SHIFTER+COMPONENTS%28STANDARD%29

BTW, you will have to drain the gear oil before removing the cover. Also, make sure the drive is in nuetral, there is a ball and spring ( part 3 )that push up against that cover. It must be in nuetral to put it back together or the spring tension will be too much.
 
I just got done pulling the cover and everything looks good. I did not see any colored or burn't spots. Their was a little water in the area where the shifter shaft is. No water in the oil. I never had this cover off before and the looks of everything made me think that it has never been off.

I going to run the boat and see if it does it again. " IF " the clutch is bad or weak what signs will I have?

Will it hurt anything else or just stop pulling ? I assume if it slips that the engine will rev.
 
Its good that there was nothing wrong there, but bad that you are still not sure where the problem is. Sorry I suggested something that ended up not being a problem. There should not be any water in the shift mechanism. However, being that you said it was minimal, I dont think that is your problem. The water intrusion may be from 2 places, the shift cable or the o-ring between the drive and transom. Before you put the cover back on, liberally coat the shift mechanisms with Merc 101 or 24-C grease.
 
I don't know how long that water was in their but I cleaned everything out and like you said and put merk. grease on the o ring.

The clutch might have heated a little like you said. After putting the lube back in I started looking at the cooling shower and decided to blow in it and it was clogged.

I took it off and at the top where water sprays the top of the drive their was a piece of wood stuck in it.

Who gets a piece of wood stuck in their cooling shower I could see a dirt dobber or mud, " BUT WOOD " that damn piece made it all the way threw and got hung right where the water comes out.
 
Wood is unusual, but you have proved it possible. Just add 1 more reason to the list of 10000 things that can ruin your day on the water. :sick:
 
Thanks for the help and if it does it again I will post. I guess I learned another lessen to check my cooling shower tower every time I put my boat in the water for wood stuck in it.

:rof:
 
i'd have to say a piece of wood in an aftermarket drive shower has nothing to do with shifting.. raising the drive up and down rings a bell on the innertrasome shift cable.. maybe a bent inner cable or something.. not sure.. i do know if the clutch cone in a merc gets hot.. they just go.. they wont take the punishment the volvo clutch does..
 
I am going to run the boat till it does it again Happy. Are you talking about the cable that hooks to the foot that goes threw the transom.
 
i've seen several things occure that cause this type of issue.. i've not seen one that fixed itself, but in the marine industry, new things happen everyday.. I've seen innertransome shift cables ride against the engine coupler, and shafe the casing away, alowing it to shift for a while, and then finally winding up into shifting into one gear, and not the other.. I've seen the cotter key in the shift mechanism, that the shift cable slides into rub against the back cover and shear off, also the detent ball in the back cover breaks loose, and caused slow or irregular shifting.. these are just things jumping across my head.. good luck boating!!
 
I took it out saturday and had no problems. I can't fix whats not broke. But back in my mine I know it will occur again and I just hope when it does I can make it back to the dock without a tow. But thats life I have pulled 2 other peoples boats back for them. I hope when its my turn I do not have to call the tow boat and get raped by that tow bill.
 
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