New shift cable adjustment questions

[ruggles]

Hi just put in the new shift cable on my 1991 4.3L OMC cobra. i had to make the adjustment tools due to time constraints but they worked well. I did the engine side first on the tool and then aligned the bell crank at 90 degrees with the aluminum bell crank tool I made. was this the correct way? I had the remote shift cable off when I did this but not the throttle cable to the carb. Is this a problem? Should I disconnect the throttle cable and do it again? Also in layman's terms can someone explain how to get the slack out of system? The 5 step adjustments? I read midnight wolfs website but for some reason I am not getting it. I just want to make sure I put it together right the first time. the plan is the put the leg on this afternoon and test her out so if anyone can help me I'd really appreciate it. I am mechanically inclined but boats are a new thing for me.
Thanks in advance!

 

[ruggles]

Anyone? Is it normally for there to be some movement on the remote shift cable on the engine sode while the shifter is in neutral?

 

[ruggles]

well no answers and I put it back together and now I hardly have engagement of either gear now. wtf?! I am getting super frustrated and I took the week off of work to go out of town to get this done. I thought I had the bellcrank at 90 and the engine side at the correct measurement. Still seems to be the same issue as before I put the new cable in? Can I adjust on the engine side to make this work or is there something else wrong like the remote cable being the culprit or my gears are toast? If I spin the adjuster on the remote cable I am able to get either forward or reverse but not both. Should I adjust the trunion on the shift cable as well. Please someone help me out here

 

[southkogs]

Hey Ruggles - I wish I knew the Cobras, but I have no clue. I've only ever owned electric shift drives.

Have you got a shop manual for it?

 

[bruceb58]

Sounds like you need the real adjustment tools.

In what condition is your console shifter? If it is loose and sloppy, you won't get enough throw.

 

[ruggles]

The shifter feels fine but when it's in neutral detent I can move the engine end of the remote cable a quarter if an inch or so. I also Noticed that before I put the leg on I could move the plastic piece attached to the bellcrank back and forth as well. Is that normal?

 

[bruceb58]

Not sure I know what plastic part you are talking about. The fork that engages the shift lever on the bellcrank is metal.

 

[bruceb58]

Hmmm...I guess part 4 is actually plastic. Been awhile since I had my Cobra. I see there are aftermarket metal ones. If that is worn, yes you will have some slop there that you don't want.

I see there are aftermarket metal ones now.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OMC-Cobra-9...ade-/320684868731?hash=item4aaa4ec47b&vxp=mtr

 

[ruggles]

#4 the plastic guide that moves the bell crank is what I am talking about. Also what about the engine side of the remote shift cable having play while it's locked in neutral?

 

[bruceb58]

With your bellcrank tool installed at the sterndrive pivot housing, you should have no play up at the engine. Until you get that fixed, you will have play.

You may also have worn bushings that the bellcrank itself rotates on. How are those?

Too bad you don't have the real tools. Makes this job way easier.

 

[ruggles]

I don't know if that piece is actually worn its just that I remember after having the bell crank set up and the engine side attached I could move the bell crank back and forth a bit. Maybe this is normal so it find the shift rod when going back together?

 

[bruceb58]

Your bellcrank tool holds the bellcrank in the perfect position so that it engages the shift fork perfectly. This of course assumes the shift fork height is also perfect.

This is whay having the REAL tool is important. I think we told you this back in December!

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Can you post some pics of the tools you made?

 

[ruggles]

I asked a question a couple times over the past few months but never got an answer but I'll ask it again because I thought I was on to something on here. Im wondering if the shift cable was even the problem. Before I could shift the engine into gear with my hand using the engine bracket in both forward amd reverse but I could get only one or the other using the shifter. Does this mean it's the remote cable all along? And yes I screwed up not ordering the tools earlier but I didnt think they woud take two weeks to get here and that's why I ended up not bothering

 

[bruceb58]

You have an OEM service manual?

 

[Idlespeedonly]

What steps are you using to adjust the cable.
You must be missing something.
You do know there are more adjustments to be made once the drive is on right?

 

[carrier82]

This probably won't help you, but I had trouble getting my Cobra to shift properly as well. Not me nor the mechanic that knew something about OMC (rarity here) was able to make it work. Decided to do a SE116 conversion. Now that I'm almost complete with the conversion (haven't tried it yet), I realized that my console shifter has two settings for shift cable throw. Guess which setting was used and the possible consequences.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

The SEI conversion requires the throws to be reversed.
The Cobras require the cable to retract for forward and extend for reverse.
SEI has opposite requirements.

 

[carrier82]

Yes, that is correct and covered in the SEI installation manual.What i meant is that my Cobra was set up to use the shorter cable throw which probably resulted in impossible to adjust shifting.

 

[ruggles]

I have a downloaded version of the manual and I have the pdfs from midnight wolf and that should cover it. I was wrong to think I could just adjust the cable to the specs and then try it. I was getting someone to spin the prop while I tried to shift it. I have the leg off now. I measured the shift rod at neutral and it looks like it's 1/8 of an inch too low. Is this a problem? Granted im measuring from the mating surface from the outsode of the case so who knows how accurate that is. Thanks for the info so far. Im going to start from scratch with the midnight wolf instruction on install and then check in