ok- time to get started on my bellows repair

Handymans342

Steering pin is a good source of leak

Handymans342

May as well do that too

rasbury

Do I need to have the drive off to do that?

rasbury

I hope I get it back together and maybe find it was leaking around the bellows somehow...i just don't think that the case. I assume the pin has to come out to install the seal and the drive has to be off...

rasbury

And what seals where the spedo tube goes through the transom?

Handymans342

A plastic like keeper

rasbury

Guess I can goop it and the trim sender good just to make sure....will probably do the shift pin seal- I want this leak over as I don't want salt water coming in...

rasbury

I did get a complete kit with the gimbal bearing- I just don't think after my effort I did anything to solve my problem @Alswagg - think I should do the steering pin seal at tho point as well or put it back together and we what I have?

rasbury

And perfect seal? What do I use that on?

rasbury

10 4 @Alswagg , will get it together and see what I have. Watching j marine you tube, that looks like a hot mess for sure . Goal is back in the water by the weekend!

rasbury

That does not sound good Al.....fingers crossed on that one!

rasbury

Ok, today is the day to start putting back together. 1) replace lower shift cable- thought I could tape the new to the old but the hole is just the diameter of the cable- will have to study on that one....ideas? 2) with acetone clean the areas on the bellows that will get the glue- looked like the shift cable bellows was also glued. 3) install gimbal bearing 4) check engine alignment- I have the merc tool and watched a good vid so not so terrified with that. 5) attach all bellows to transom side 6) install bell housing Will update from there and will add pics.

rasbury

Well, seemed to have gotten myself into a little bit of trouble....was going very well with the shift cable removal. Actually, in hindsight, should have been very simple until things went wrong. So, I removed the hardware from the engine side. No issue. I pulled the inner cable out through the transom, no issue. Ran a wire back up through the cable sleeve, 2x or more longer that what I needed, no issue. So, now I have a snake run up through there I can now pull the old cable sleeve out, use the snake to re install the new cable sleeve, remove the wire and the work the new cable back up into the engine compartment. Should have been that simple. What I did not realize or see is there is some sort of wrap on the outer cable sleeve, looks like to protect it from the exhaust, down near the bottom of the transom just out of view. When I pulled the cable sleeve out from the outer transom side, it almost all came out and then that wrapping jammed up with the sleeve and that sucker is stuck. I have tried to put my vice grips on the sleeve and with a hammer knock it back through and nothing. I have pulled all of this wrap from this side out that I can pull. I assume I will get this figured out and pulled through but it looks like there is some sort of seal right there that I have now screwed up- makes sense I suppose there should be some sort of seal there? I looked in the manual and I don't see anything- the boot covers it so maybe it is just part of that casing I'm seeing or something.....  @Alswagg a little of that professional guidance on this one before I really make a mess? I have not tried to access from the engine and see if I can pull that crap off from there- the new cable kit did not include a new "wrap" piece. What can I use in place of since I have trashed this one? Seems to be a nylon material.... I'm guessing your all out on your boats today as the forum has been very quiet- good for you all!

reneechris14

@rasbury on the inside there is a black plastic piece about an inch long it is not a seal rather a kind of guide to keep the cable straight ish.look down over the disturbitor or right side down at an angle and you may see it.you should have pretty good view because the drive is out.

rasbury

So I can replace it easy enough? Could not find it in the service manual. I will go to that parts site...stupid mistake that will cost a lot of time...

reneechris14

As far as replacing the heat shield you can put that on later.the same stuff is on the time senders.

reneechris14

I would think you could get a hand on the cable down by the starter and give it a pull back in to the engine bay a little to get the last piece off or what ever is jamed.

rasbury

I will get on the computer and see if I can find it...thx- do you @reneechris14 work on boats or just an over achiever?

reneechris14

Back yard boat junkie not a pro

rasbury

I went to a school in Bridgeport ct when the first cnc Bridgeport came out...long time ago...

rasbury

So far, this shift cable by far the biggest pita . So, anyone who takes what I would think should have been a super simple job- do not try to pull the cable through without removing the heat shield wrap. I don't how I got it this stuck- I guess I gave it a better yank than I thought. So, the process was to cut it off on the back side with a dremel, lots if bending an twisting, trying to use a drift and knock it through, then ultimately taking a small drill and selling out the plastic guide and finally knocking it through. Took hours. So, now I have to figure out that guide piece and probably have to order it so more lost time. Also, lost my snake / guide to pull the new one through and the routing of the cable. There was no getting to it from the inside. Still should be able to slide a wire from the out side through and grab it from the inside and work it that way. Major disappointment for sure.

rasbury

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/mercury_marine_parts/sn/0W139887/6211001N1/5398_50  so this shows part number 17 as the little piece I wiped out getting the cable to go back through the transom. PITA. Will order it tomorrow, looks like it goes through from the outside which is a plus, the flange was on the outside anyway as I drilled it into oblivion. 

Cableguy Greg

Anytime my mechanic does a shift cable, he pulls it from the outside in. If you are ordering it online, order it today. If it is in stock, it will ship first thing in the morning. That might save you a day. If it was me, I would check with your local dealers tomorrow to see if someone has it in stock. If they do, then you can cancel the online order.

rasbury

what does outside in mean? I undid the cable from the motor and pulled the inside of the cable out through the back. Then, run a wire up through the sheath, tie it off and then pull the sheath out the back of the boat, run the new sheath up the wire, pull the wire out and run the new cable up through the sheath. That wrap material got so wedged in the other little piece that is the guide, there was just no turning around....should have been a 20 minute job.

rasbury

OK, so here is the progress today. Got home from work a little early and got some work done before the monsoons hit....the position of the boat, I'm under the swim platform for shade in the afternoon, not much you can do about the lightning here except get your butt into the house! Sorry the are in reverse order! As you can see, my set up has the grease zert for the gimbal so I scribed marks to align the holes. Took a good beating to get that sucker in, guess I see why it is so hard to get out. I also checked the engine alignment, seemed to be dead on. Have never done this but the tool I guess is set up for different setups, I could get it in there at a little bit of an angle and feel the coupler and then when I pushed forward, seemed to go easily in. 

Glassguy54

Zombie Eradication Response Team (zert) . Oscar Ulysses Zerkowitz (shortened last name to Zerk), inventor of the Zerk grease fitting. Applaud your undertaking on the drive removal, bellows replacement, etc. I don't think I would trust myself enough to try that even though many many years ago I worked as an auto mechanic.

rasbury

@glassguy54 it was intimidating to start but it really has not been that bad a job- the worst part was just having the guts to turn the first bolt! Getting the bearing out was probably about the worst part of it....but then I'm sounding like the job is done and it ain't! Will be on vacation the weekend so not sure how much more I will get done...and then there is this pesky job they insist I show up to on a regular basis...

rasbury

Back from vacation! Now we are having monsoons so mot sure how far I will get today. Can anyone advise on the routing of the lower shift cable? The way I was going to do it, I did not pay much attention to the routing...l have one picture near the top...i assume with the heat shield material it must come around the exhaust and then up the side of the motor, then over the top to the bracket. What is the adjustment for assembly to the bracket? I have to get some perfect seal for the gaskets, is there any lock tite needed for the hinge pins?

frenchship

Red locktite for hinge pins

rasbury

Wow, that's what I'm seeing..271- no wonder they are so hard to get off! Guess the rain here pretty much shuts me down for today and the next couple of days...also need to get the perfect seal which I thought local marina would have, so, sigh....mid week I hope to start getting it back together...