100% newbie omc cobra control problems.

[Almar]

So I'm new to owning a boat like this with that said I have recently purchased a 1992 seaswirl has a 4.3 cobra engine.
I had it out a few times and everything seemed to operate correctly altho it seemed stiff to shift from forward into neutral and reverse.
I was out yesterday and now she the boat is running in the water I cannot shift into neutral from forward .
It just doesn't go , things I have read and noticed :the rod are too high try are around 2000 reps and I believe I read they should be around 600
When I turn the engine off I can now put the controls back to neutral but once the boat was running I can only go forward. I have spent time scrolling thru post and it is quite overwhelming I must admit I could use some pointing in the right direction.
I did leave the back tarp off and had lots of water in the boat I read that could cause a problem.
Willing to learn just need a push .
Oh and also when it fist happened when I tried to go in reverse and the boat started accelerating?

 

[Lou C]

You need a mechanic before someone gets hurt. DO NOT run that boat like it is, you will either hit a dock or ruin the outdrive.
​If you do a search on my user name you will see I have posted many times about proper OMC Cobra shift cable adjustment and idle speed. I don't have the patience to re-type it all so do a search, and you will learn....

 

[southkogs]

Sounds like you're fighting a few different battles together. If you're idling too high, that might be affecting your shifting - or the cable adjustment like Lou is suggesting.

I'd fix the idling first.

What tarp are you talking about that is letting water into your boat? There shouldn't be water in the the boat at all.

:welcome:

 

[JJBoatr]

Sounds like the shift interrupter isn't working. I would ensure it is before touching any cable adjustments. And as others have said DO NOT continue to operate your boat with this condition. You could trash your lower unit and/or ruin cables and the helm.

 

[bruceb58]

Your ESA isn't working.

Out of curiosity, has someone changed out the original distributor or changed the points to an electronic module? If so, that would cause the ESA to stop working.

Like others have said, don't run the boat and get the idle down to 600 RPM.

 

[Almar]

Thank you for all your responses.
The boat has been parked I am hoping fix it properly and run this boat for a long time.
The cap and wires have been changed how would I know if the distributor has also been.
I have the manual now and have been going thru it.

 

[zigbat]

Speaking as someone who has launched his boat backwards off the trailer at approximatly 300 miles per hour thru a crowded boat launch I can tell ya from experience... Ya dont want to do that... Not only is it extremely dangerous to everyone who witnesses it, but it is even more embarrassing, and the screaming of the foul language as ya struggle to get into neutral while under sudden severe stress is not being a good role model for any of the children present...

I suggest, as everyone else has... The water aint the right place to experiment around with this issue, if ya dont know enough to get the idle/shift problem resolved, pay someone who does before ya get it wet again...