OMC 800 Intermediate shift cable problems.... HELP! No reverse

[fabrimacator21]

Last year I pulled the I/O off to do my upper case seals and water pump impeller and in the process my best guess is that I stretched the intermediate shift cables as I went the wrong way when I tried to pull the cables. Now after I adjust it I cant find a happy medium. It'll either lose forward or it'll lose reverse. For a while it had both forward and reverse, but it would never last long. One or the other would just stop working after a little run time. I'm all geared up now to tear into the lower but I really want to make sure it's not a problem that I can fix without doing so.


Could I shift the lower unit manually with the cables disconected from the converter box to see if there is more slop in them then there should be?

The reason I ask is because I think I could shorten the cables if need be. I just need to figure out how to go about figuring out if the cables are stretched.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Sounds like the cable is stretched

 

[fabrimacator21]

any suggestions other then a new cable(which they no longer make)? What has me crossed up is the cables are tensioned by the spring in the converter box. Maybe one is stretched and not the other?

 

[fabrimacator21]

Okay so I had some time to do some figuring today and marked where it comes out of gear on the shift converter like the manual says. I put it in gear while on the muffs, then slowly moved the shifter back towards neutral until the prop stopped spinning. I did it with forward and reverse and marked where it came out of gear in forward and then in reverse. The manual gave a minimum measurement of 21/32" between the forward out of gear mark, and the reverse out of gear mark. Unfortunatly there's no maximum measurement. The minimum measurement is just there to keep you from adjusting it to where it will start in gear. I got a whopping 1 5/8" between the marks.

I think my next course of action is putting something under where the cable runs in the converter box to simulate shortening them. Turns out shortening cables is alot more involved then I thought. Can't seem to find the right crimp tool and soldering the ends on isn't exactly easy. I've watched a few videos on how to do it but I'd rather have someone who's done a 1000 of them do it to be safe. Soldering the ends on takes a soldering pot which run about 200 bucks but it could be done without pulling the I/O. I'll have to make some calls tomorrow and see if anyone's open.

I will let you guys know what I find out.


Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[seang]

Back in the 60s we used to buy motorcycle cables and cut them to length slide the inner cable in to the outer cable and solder the nipple on I am surprised no one has come up with a set they would make a fortune