Trouble shifting

[Fred1diver]

Hello everyone, I’m having trouble shifting my motor in gear and reverse, no idea on where to start, any help will be appreciated

[Mo]

Hi
Perhaps the most common issue is cable slippage near the shifter. Theres usuall a clamp there to hold the cable housing and the push rod moves forward and backward, forcing the shift lever. If that clamp that holds the housing is loose the housing moves instead of the push rod, or at least partially, interferring with proper shifting.

What you need to do. Have someone do the shifting while you are watching the shifting action below near the hook up. If you see the vinyle housing moving there's your problem. Problems with both forward and reverse shifting are commonly right there.

So, I'll leave that right there for now as adding more might get too confusing. Just check your linkage at both ends of the cable, the connections, ensure all moving fine and check for that loose clap nears the shift rod on the reversing gear (tranny).

[Mo]

Of course there's also the possibility of corrossion in which case the ultimate fix is the replacement of the morse cable.

[Al Schober]

First thing I'd try is to disconnect the shift cable from the reversing gear. Try shifting it with the lever on the gear case.
If it works, then you have a problem with the cable or its adjustment.
If it still doesn't work, let us know.
Try to isolate your problem a bit before you just throw money at it.

[Fred1diver]

Took the shifter cable off.
It is a bit stiff but acceptable, will still look into a new one.
Tried shifting the reversing gear without the cable and it’s really stiff

[Mo]

By hand it should take a bit of force to move the shift lever forward, toward the engine. You should feel a bump and it goes into forward. It should require some force to do that. The reverse portion of this is just a straight pull reward, away from the engine, and there is no bump. As you probably know you have to hold the lever into reverse to keep reverse...if you let go the lever the pressure comes off and it wanders back toward the neutral position, even though the prop might turn a bit.

Is the boat in the water or on the hard?

[Al Schober]

Tried shifting the reversing gear without the cable and it’s really stiff

How does the cross shaft look? Corroded? Perhaps it's binding in the bearings. Last few engines I've had apart I replaced the cross shaft with the stainless one from our host.

https://moyermarine.com/product/reversing-gear-cross-shaft-stainless-steel-orev_23-1_346/

[Dave Neptune]

The shifter on the trans should move "easily" in the "neutral" area of the travel between forward and reverse.

Also any binding or resistance in the cable when freed from the trans will be greatly exaggerated when hooked up.

Dave Neptune

[Fred1diver]

Ok, I will look into the shaft, art the moment Moyer is sold out of them

[BenCT]

Lubricating the shifting cable

I’m also dealing with stiffness shifting. Everything is working fine, but Don says in one thread to release the turnbuckle and lubricate the shifting lever. I assume he means detaching the clevis but how do you lubricate there shifting lever and with what product?

[BenCT]

Cable is brand new.