Omc shift issues

Extremeaudio

Cadet
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
8
So, was out last weekend and hit bottom with the outdrive did a number on it, destroyed the prop. Bent prop rod. And I'm sure some gears are not right haven't taken it apart as the housing cracked.

Anyway found a used drive off a boat that I could
Tell was very well cared for drive looks amazing. I can lift the shift fork by hand and feel it lock in both forward and reverse gear. My issue is when I mate it to the boat it'll go into reverse but not forward gear. Checked the shift rod height and it's set. Could it be my shift cable? Just seems odd since it worked flawless with the other drive before I hit bottom. And even after I still had forward and reverse gear to limp back to the trailer with. I cleaned around the bell crank and Lubed it all up and it's smooth pulling the cable by hand. Any ideas would be great I'm getting a bit flustered as to what may be wrong.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
welcome aboard

since OMC had dozens of outdrive designs over its life before the company went defunct in 2000, we have no clue what you are working on.

my Carnac the magnificent hat is at the cleaners and my crystal ball was used in a bowling tournament and now longer reveals secrets
 

Extremeaudio

Cadet
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
8
Ha that might help, it's from a 1990 sunbird Corsica198 4.3l that's the drive I busted the Lower up on. Outdrive has a model number of 985685 the drive I put on and am having issues with is 985269 shouldn't these seemingly be the same drive? Or am I missing something here
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
if they were the same drive they would have the same number. year, gear ratio, etc all make up the model number.

i am currently elbow deep in a valve spring change. will look a bit later

in the mean time, maybe another iboater will chime in on the difference
 

Extremeaudio

Cadet
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
8
Ok well here is where I'm at, I'm going to swap lower rods in the units as the one that was in the one I'm trying to put on the boat just didn't feel right, as if maybe it was bent so in the process of pulling the lowers off and changing that out. Still want to check the adjustment of the cable on the boat, it moves freely so it's not binding anywhere. I've looked at the links on here about adjusting the cable and seems pretty straight forward some thing I had to re read but otherwise i think I can get it done. Unless someone is in pa and wants to come help lol.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
You need the two OMC tools to adjust the lower shift cable. Without those two tools you can not adjust the cable properly. You can find them on ebay and Amazon
 
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