Alpha 1 Gen 1 -- Any tricks to installing lower shift cable in cable jacket?

[blackd]

Spent 1/2 day trying to get the darned thing inserted. Any ideas how to make this easier?

 

[Bt Doctur]

if you mean the core ,it should just slide right in with little resistance.If you cannot insert it easily, the sheath is damaged from an overheat of the cable is corroded internally preventing it from sliding in.
Is this a new cable installation?

 

[Rick Stephens]

The only condition on it sliding in easily is if you have a tight bend in the housing then the solid section at the engine end of the core will have a lot of trouble getting passed through. You may have to straighten the housing at that spot to get the core through.

Rick

 

[blackd]

Yes, this is s new install, new sheath and core. It does have a bend -- maybe two.

 

[Bt Doctur]

what engine is in it?

 

[Bt Doctur]

 

[Bt Doctur]

Not poking a stick, but can you describe EXACTLY how you installed the cable.

 

[blackd]

This is in a 78 center console with 350. The engine compartment is a little too short to lay the cable flat so it bends. I followed this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=8&v=PZN-HHuIDPI I wonder if I can partially install the sheath and core in the straight section until I have the core completely inserted then pull/push the whole completed assembly into the boat before attaching the sheath.

I think my major issue was trying to install the entire length with the kink(s) needed to have it fit in the boat. At this point I think I probably need a new kit.

 

[Rick Stephens]

That video is as good a guide as any I've seen. It should have accomplished your task. I have had a tightish bend in the cable housing make it really hard to push the cable end through - I bent the solid cable end a little bit the first time I did that, by mistake, but still bent. I was able to straighten it and still use the new cable assembly.

You did mention in your post the best way to push the core through - once you have the cable housing installed through the transom and between the Y pipe and the flywheel housing, you just lay the cable housing out alongside the starboard side of your engine, as straight as possible. Then push your core through. Once the core is all the way through, you are good to route the whole assembly up to the linkage.

If the solid end is a bit bent, straighten it out and file out any marks you make on it with pliers or tooling. Try again.

BT Docs pic is the correct routing. That part is pretty easy.

Best of luck. You'll get it.

Rick

 

[Fishermark]

The main problem with the video is that it assumes the routing you currently have is correct. Who knows what someone did in the past? Make sure your cable is routed the correct way. You can straighten it out and then, after inserting the inner cable, you can then route it correctly if that helps.

 

[Bt Doctur]

from the transom the cable goes in the front of the rear mount but behind the flywheel housing.
Another thing is when screwing the cable into the housing , it has to be able to turn in the opposite direction inside the boat so it dosent kink
someone turns if CW from outside the boat and someone turns if CCW inside the boat.
If there is insufficient room to do this then the housing must be removed,the shift cable installed, and now the cable and housing installed as a unit. is routed in the correct manner.

 

[blackd]

I finally got it. Trick was to get the sheath part way in then install the core as far as it can go then push it as a unit. Attaching the sheaf would have been easier with two, one inside and the other out, to tighten it, but it worked out. Just slowly.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Good deal. Yeah, it is nice to have a helper. My 15 yo son gets tired of giving a hand sometimes, but is irreplaceable.