Shift cable dilemma

[Sunny Jim]

I thought I was wrapping up a motor change over project today. Routed the throttle and shift cable into the starboard side of the motor. Hooked up the throttle cable and adjusted it for length. That went OK. While attempting to do the same with the shift cable I find that at maximum length of adjustment I am about an inch short of the shift post.
The throttle cable has about three inches of adjustment threads but the shift cable only has about an inch and a half. Any way to overcome this problem?

OK. Here's the solution. I caused this problem without knowing it. I had removed the control handle because it was in my way to remove a little storage box next to the seat. Apparently in doing so I had moved the control lever out of the upright position. When I reinstalled the handle I put it in straight up. When looking at the cables on the motor, the problem was that one cable was too long and one was too short. I figured if they were both the same length they would hook up OK. Then I realized what I had done. I took the control handle off again and figured where it should be. Then in neutral both cables were the same length.
Thanks for your help!

[fishnfireman]

Need a little more info -- same motors ? same controls ?

My first thought would be the

shifter and motor aren't in same position ( F-N-R )

[Sunny Jim]

Went from Mercury 97 200 EFI to a 2004 250 XS (OT818648). Hook-up for the cables is just different. Shift cable adjustment is just so short that I can't reach the shift connection. It's not the length of the cable, it's long enough.The throttle cable has plenty of adjustment but for some reason the shift cable has only half as much and doesn't give enough adjustment to reach the hook-up on the shifter. I need to lengthen the part with the threads about 1", meaning moving the round black plastic piece that moves back and forth on the threads about one inch further back. Hope I don't have to change the cable. That would be another big project, getting the control mechanism out.