Shifting issue.

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
when I have the boat hooked up on the water hose I can get it to go in forward and revers. last Saturday when I put it in the water and backed out of the dock. I realized I could not shift it to forward nor get it in neutral. I nearly hit the dock do to I couldn't get it to move out of reverse. once I finally got it to SLAM into forward I couldn't get it to move out of forward to neutral. the slamming in forward was sheer panic. I know better than to do that I should have shut the boat off. with that being said that is exactly what I had to do to finish my "water test" if you will. first time I had it in the water. I removed the lower shift cable form the engine and when I had to change direction or put in neutral I had to shut the boat off, select neutral, start engine, then select desired direction, those steps where done every time to put in neutral and shift gears. also the "tube" that the lower shift cable runs in with the bellows on it. I noticed there was water inside the hose but it was not leaking anywhere. is this normal and what in the world is wrong with my shifting. any help would be great.

thanks . Clay
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Is this a Mercruiser and which one? It needs to be moved to the correct section, the problem is in the back, not with the remote control. It sounds like the shift interrupt or lower shift cable.
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
Its a Cobra outdrive. what do you mean the correct section?
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
Ok now that I'm in the right place can anyone help me with this issue.
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
Can anyone tell me what control cable to get for my 5.7 OMC cobra stern drive. so there is an upper and lower shift cable. I need the lower shift cable running from motor to stern drive. I can not find anything that looks like the current one on the engine.
 

MRS

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
2,555
What year is it should be able to get. Maybe even here.
 

MRS

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
2,555
What year did you find the transom shift cable you need?
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
The boat itself is a 1987 bayliner trophy with the original outdrive for the 5.0 that use to be in it. The motor is now a 350 5.7 BUT, I can not find the year of the motor or what it came out of so that is my dilemma if you will.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
You posted in another thread that the distributor was changed and ESA may have been removed. Until that's is resolved, it won't shift out of gear correctly.
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
The shift cable is extremely stiff. That is why I'm trying to figure out which one it is. I would rather replace now so it's right.
 

MRS

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
2,555
Can you post a photo of what the end that hooks up on the motor side looks like. Might help.
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
not a very good picture but it is what was on my phone. I can take a better picture tonight if you need it.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
The shift cable is extremely stiff. That is why I'm trying to figure out which one it is. I would rather replace now so it's right.
Is it stiff both going into and out of gear or just going out of gear? Have you had the drive off lately and tried shifting with the drive off?
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
I have not taking the drive off yet I am this weekend I hope. but i don't want to leave it off too long so I wanted to get a new cable and replace it anyways while its off. and it shifts fine on the water hose it was when i put it in the water i had trouble. very hard to shift in gear "but did" and impossible to shift out of gear.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
You very well may need a cable but you definitely need to get the ESA working or something similar or you will NEVER be able to get it out of gear, even with a brand new cable.

The reason I ask about taking the drive off is because the are where the bellcrank is can get caked up with deposits which can make shifting much harder.
 

cbain

Seaman
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
56
So is this just a clean and install procedure? Or something special to do for the gunk? if this is the case.
 
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