While out at the lake yesterday, I noticed that it is taking a little more push on the throttle stick to put it in gear.

Before I could squeeze the trigger and bump it into gear at a low idle to put tension on the rope for the boarder or skier behind me.

Now I need to push it way forward, which yanks the rope, and then back off. Bumping it just makes a rattling sound or a sound similar to missing a gear (syncromesh type sound) in a manual tranny.

This didn't happen every single time but more than not and reverse seems to work fine.

Is this a problem with the cone clutch or something as simple as a shift cable adjustment?

Could be a stretched shift cable, or maybe it's just a little sticky. You can try lubing it, but you'll probably end up replacing it eventually, anyway.

You might get another year or two out of it by adjusting it somewhat, but I'm not sure.

More than likely the cable's stretched some and needs to be adjusted. Evidence of a stretched cable, is if shifting to reverse is real easy.

I love this site!!!

I will be adjusting that as well as checking the connections on the trim sender/limit before sending the boat off to Powell with my 25 Y.O. son, his GW and her family the second week of September. I was going to work on that sender/limit before, but got sidetracked into replacing an axle last week.

You don't have a cone clutch. I suspect it's the cable and with luck, it's merely an adjustment that's needed. That said, 7 years is a reasonable life span for the cable bellows and it may mean you need a new cable and bellows. Might as well do the exhaust and U-joint bellows too, if I'm right. Great off-season project...

It's also possible the linkage at the lower unit is corroded, you'll have to pull the drive to check.

The drive was pulled last winter and all was fine at that time. It's only been in the water for about 25 hours this year (190 hours total) but things change, so this winter I'll pull it again as I need to change the impeller kit anyway. But right now and before my son takes the boat to Powell, I'll adjust the linkage.

I would lube all the cable piviot points and such on top of the engine. Mine started doing the same thing and a couple of drops of oil and its shifting like a dream.

Good point; I'll lube the pivot points before adjusting the linkage and see what happens then. Shifting on the muffs might have a different effect than the resistance of a prop in the water too, so this will be a bit difficult to adjust.

I could tell the differance with the muffs on. What I did is, have someone work the linkage with the engine OFF while I dripped oil where it needed to go.

Thanks for the tip. His AZZ is going to need to come over and help with that!

I got the linkage adjusted and lubricated yesterday and it shifts better without the clicking clatter, but not as smooth as I'd like it too. Is that clunk just a function of the Alpha drive or should I get it serviced internally?