[Putershark]

Originally Posted by BarryB

Actually, the marine mechanic can remove the lower unit without removing the engine or anything else. There is a clutch dog that slides on a bar. The clutch dog engages the forward or reverse gear with the pinion gear. Actually a very simple and old system. You do have to make sure the shift cable is properly adjusted, otherwise the clutch dog doesn't engage completely and it grinds down. Eventually causing it to "pop out of gear".

Glad Honda is standing by its product.

I agree it is a old and for the most part, very, very, reliable system... But on this one, the power-head (saw both the parts blow up and the engine side cover out of the way) and the power-head sure looks (and as advised to me) that it has to come up and off for total access to the upper part of the shifter linkage.

Be that as it may, I am sure though that if Honda has another way of getting at both ends of all of the shifter linkage on the VTEC engine, they will advise the dealer on how to do such... The cable though, has been kept about as adjusted as one can be with all the trips to the shop it has had. My boat also has the stainless steal extreme teleflex cables that one can tie into a knot and they still work... So I really do not see this as a cheep cable, poor adjustment issue as much as just simple metal fatigue on the shifter linkage components

Will be interesting in see the old parts once removed and hopefully, I can grab some pictures of them to post here when the repairs are all completed