Hard shift into gear

[3green]

I have a 1994 Omc 5.0l fl with the sx outdrive. It shifts hard into gear. I was wondering if there is supposed to be a micro-switch or something to reduce the idle while shifting into gear to reduce the "clunk" feel/noise. Or, if this might be a symptom of something else?

Thanks!

 

[3green]

After a little more research maybe it's a bad ESA? It does shift into gear, just shifts hard. The cable seems a little stiff and should probable be replaced too.

 

[Jammer864]

Cobra SX drive has no ESA... Thats a pure Cobra contraption. Cable would be first to check. Disconnect it at the drive and see how the Throttle/Shift control works. If its still stiff, probably the cable or Throttle/Shift control. Next try shifting the drive by hand. You should be able to rotate the shift arm in and out of FWD/REVERSE. After that, there is a Shift Shoe shimming procedure that you can do also. Follow the procedure for Cobra SX Shift Shoe Shimming in the drive manual. Its easy to do and cheap to add or subtract a shim washer or two, its all done from the outside of the drive. Generally, the Shift Shoe shimming is done when its hard to get OUT of drive and into Neutral though.

 

[HT32BSX115]

After a little more research maybe it's a bad ESA? It does shift into gear, just shifts hard. The cable seems a little stiff and should probable be replaced too.

Howdy,

Welcome aboard!

It'll help if you post your model number. There were quite a few models in 1994 and 1993.

502ACPMDA 1994
502AGPMDA 1994
50FACPMDA 1994
50FACPMDM 1994
50FAGPMDA 1994
50FAGPMDM 1994

502APLJVB 1993
502APRJVB 1993
502BPRJVB 1993
50FAPLJVB 1993
50FAPLJVN 1993
50FAPRJVB 1993
50FAPRJVN 1993

Now, you said you have an SX. If true, Jammer is right. there's no ESA. If you do have an ESA, you do not have an SX.

Now having said all that, unless you bought the boat new........ Many things can have been changed/modified in 23 years.

The idle for a 94 5.0FL is 550-650 RPM. I would tune it for smooth idle and an in-gear RPM of closer to 550. Higher RPM's will eventually damage dog and cone clutches.

The ESA on a dog-clutch Cobra is there for getting it out of gear and doesn't (and shouldn't) activate going into gear.

Once you determine your model number for sure, I would suggest you obtain an OEM service manual (not a Seloc or Clymer)

In the mean time http://boatinfo.no/lib/omc/manuals/1986-1998omcmanual.html#/88 is pretty good.

Cheers,

Rick