TOPIC: Adjusting a mid '70s Mercury shift cable

Hopefully this pictorial will help both when adjusting the shift cable when a good condition lower unit is installed and also when a somewhat worn lower unit is being used.
I'll start with the most common cause of failure when using the '60s-'70s 'square shaped' control box.
Doc Frankenmerc

again doc excellent pictorial. i don't think that info has ever been posted on fiberglassics. ron

I should add that if the control box and lower unit shift components are in very good condition,...

You can simply:
1) Disconnect the control cable at the engine end.
2) Place the control box in the Neutral position (a detent in the control box should be felt at Neutral)
3) Manually push the sliding link at the engine end into Neutral (a detent should be felt at Neutral on the engine & the prop shaft should rotate silently in both directions)
4) Adjust the 'barrel' as described in the pictorial write-up.

Doc Frankenmerc