Earlier Cobra Shifting Problems.

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
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The Early Cobra's up until they went to the Volvo shift mechanism.
The Shift assy. wasn't the​ best but you need to work with what you have.
The cable can be the problem but lots of times it's the bellcrank.

A lot of the shift problems can be helped with a bit of cleaning and a shot of marine grease.

The shift mechanism on the bell housing.
The bellcrank is susceptible to water intrusion and corrosion buildup on the end of the crank.

Water gets in and corrosion starts and eventually the bellcrank can seize and even bend.

Drop the drive and remove the bellcrank.
Clean out the bushing and lube with marine grease.

It's not a hard job.

Can a mod maybe pin this at the top?
 

bruceb58

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Mar 5, 2006
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30,454
Cobra shift problems are primarily cable related. I always cleaned out that area and had grease in it. I even updated mine with the grease fitting on the bellcrank bushing that later year models had so that I could fill the area with grease with a grease gun and I still would eventually have issues.

Too many cable failures because of the poor design. Keeping the drive stored down is the best way to keep the cable from failing.
 

Lou C

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Nov 10, 2002
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11,802
It's odd I have owned this boat since 2002 and I've never had to change the cable, it's got to be close to 15 years old!
I checked the drag on it when I adjusted the transom and remote cables 2 years ago and it was still in factory specs at 2 lbs. I do store it down but for half the year this boat is moored on a salt water mooring. Most years it was a shallow spot so the drive was trimmed up most of the season. Finally our harbor was dredged last year so this season I could leave it down on the mooring.
Water can get into that pocket a few ways bout I have not had that since I've been coating that gasket on both sides and the drive/pivot sealing surfaces and the pivot drain plug on that side (the lower one) should also be coated with gasket sealer since it opens into that pocket. Those plugs have rubber gaskets but I bet they do leak.
 
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jerryjerry05

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The original cables that were installed when the Cobra was introduced were crap.
A couple years later they​ replaced the bad one with a much improved cable and lots of problems went away.
The crank area was a weak spot as far as design went but a glob of grease will go a long way.

Lou.You probably have the newer cable installed.
 

Lou C

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Nov 10, 2002
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11,802
I must have gotten lucky for sure it was replaced because it's the red one but like I said it's been on there for years.
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
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Some last a long time and some won't.
It's like buying a Tempo squeeze ball.
Some work right.
Some don't.
I bought 3 that were bad right out of the boxes.
That was 3 trips to the parts store and all the work involved with installing and trying to make it run.​

That's why I don't buy Tempo.
 
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