89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

[thebenzmane55]

Hi guys, I purchased the boat last year and the owner said i needed to have the shifting cables adjusted. so i bought a manual which has dissapeared. my question is when i shift into reverse it grinds but in the driveway the prop will spin backwards. If i adjust the shifting cable will it fully shift into reverse? has anyone else had this problem? or does anyone have a diagram showing how i can adjust the cables? the boat has been in a garage since it was new and only has 150 hours on it so i dont believe the cables are bad. Thanks for your help

 

[Windykid]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

You need to find the manual, adjust the lower shift cable from the engine to the outdrive.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

The factory manual is a MUST have to perform the shift adjustments!
It still may need the lower cable replaced too..
The Seloc or Clymers manuals are not worth the paper they printed them on..

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

Here is a real manual,great price too!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1989...62QQcategoryZ26453QQihZ024QQitemZ370044966024

 

[Coors]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

This too

http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/kw-shift.html

 

[thebenzmane55]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

Ok so I bought the online seloc manual before i read your replies, I am a mercedes benz mechanic and to tell you the truth i dont think they have any idea what they are even talking about. I read the instructions about 10 times and still couldnt understand what they were talking about. I think they are trying to explain how to install a new one maybe? anyway i just bought the other manual on ebay that you sent me and hopefully that will help. I just hope it doesnt need a new cable because you have to take the outdrive off dont you? I would really like to take it somewhere and just say fix it but i dont want them charging me many hours of labor to scratch there heads like i am. Thanks for all the replies and i guess i will have to wait for the new book to come. spent 35 on the online manual and 60 on the second book so ill see how much i have to spend on manuals before i can get an answer haha. Has anyone else had this problem or am i the guinea pig?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

I sold my cobra 6 years ago but I got very good at adjusting the lower shift cable. Went through 3 of them in the years I owned the boat. The first cable was replaced by a dealer and I had to re-adjust it after they installed it because they didn't know what they were doing.

 

[thebenzmane55]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

ok reading everyone else's about alphas and cobras the transom shift cable is messed up so thanks for the help. keep me in mind ill wait for the book and let everyone know.

 

[Don S]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

You have to take the outdrive off for basic yearly maintenance. (See the summerization post at the top of the page and the link to winteriaztion in the fall)
Without that maintenance, you are going to be spending a lot of extra money for parts because of lack of lubrication and maintenance.
Once you get the oem manual. look at the requiered maintentance.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: 89 5.7 OMC No Reverse

When you get the book,pull the drive,grease and check ujoints,bellows and gimble bearing.
Install the new lower cable per the book. Adjust the bell crank that connects to the shift rod in the lower. It explains this well in the book under nutruel adjustment.
Then install the drive.
Adjust cable at the trunnion on the motor bracket and you should be good to go.
The books shows this step by step with pictures.
Should be able to do it all in one day...