Bravo 1 shift cable is bound up
 

I am having problems with my shift cable. I have a Gen 5, 454 with a Bravo 1 drive. I can not get the cable that goes to the drive to shift into forward. I can get it into reverse, but not forward. I had the boat on the water last week to test the new engine and noticed that the shifting was not real smooth (however at that time it would shift in forward and reverse). I looked at the black cable that goes from the shift cable plate to the drive and say that is had a fairly sharp bend in it. I assumed that this was the problem, thus rerouted the cable to eliminate the sharp bend. Now I can not get the drive to shift into forward. I have removed the cable off the shift plate and tried to pull/ push the cable by hand and can only get the cable to move about 1 inch into the reverse direction. Everything seems bound up. Would anyone have any ideas or have a link to a manual covering the Bravo 1 drive? I do not see the info in the first manual that covers the shift cables.

Thanks!

Adrian
[email protected]

Re: Bravo 1 shift cable is bound up
 

you need to take it to a shop. your cable has let water into the shift linkage area and rusted up the shift linkage assembly and detent,it will only get worse,and if your in a freeze weather area it will expand and break your back cap.

Re: Bravo 1 shift cable is bound up
 

Are you trying to shift it with the engine off or running???????

Bravo's are not meant to be shifted when they are not spinning.

Re: Bravo 1 shift cable is bound up
 

The engine is not running, and I realise that that may be the problem. However my concern is that I am affraid to start it while it is engaged in reverse. It will not shift out of reverse. No matter where I pull/push the cable, I can not get the prop to spin freely. I can only get the prop to spin counterclockwise.

Re: Bravo 1 shift cable is bound up
 

If you don't want to take it to a shop the first thing you need to do is get the manual. The next will be to pull the drive and inspect the cable movement and the shift cavity, Most likely the cable is bad and as said before has alowed water to enter the shift cavity and has at the very least the cable needs to be replaced but the back cap should be pulled to check the condition of the shift linkage and the detent. Wneh you install the new cable you need to get the adjustment tools and adjust the cable with the drive off, DO NOT use the play with it till it works method. The step that most people, uncluding most boat builders, leave out is the initiall adjustment of the 3" dimension between the pivot point and the cable stud. Make sure you follow all the steps properly. The tool sa nd manual aren't that much for this job and you will probably need to get it done again in the future so they are a good investment. The shop I workes at charged 2.2 hrs for the cable replacment and 1.0 for the shift linkage and detent. 3.2 @98 an hour is 300 bucks labor wich will more then cover the manual and the special tools needed to do the job. Good Luck