'91 Harris K200 OMC Cobra (Deckboat) Shift Issue

qbrabbit

Recruit
Joined
Oct 19, 2018
Messages
1
Does anyone have any exp with an OMC Cobra ?? Running into a few issues and local guys (repair shops) don't want to help.
Goes into Reverse and Neutral ok, but doesn't want to go into Drive (Forward)
Don't think it's a gear issue, It will shift into both....
Loosened the cable that goes direct to the rear end, and it slides into reverse and stays. But in forward you have really pull hard and hold it, otherwise it will just slide out of gear; It won't lock until the last 1/2 inch and it's hard to hold it there.

Tried to adjust it before doing this and can't get it to do both.. It's either Forward or Reverse.

I was out on the lake and it all of a sudden wouldn't go into forward. It wanted to grind, like it was out of adjustment.

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
Ben

'91 Harris K200 Limited
OMC Cobra
'89 Ford 351 Windsor 5.8 (Stock)
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,803
If you do a search you will see that the Cobra shift adjustment is a multi step process. It sounds like from what you are saying, you are getting enough travel in the shift linkage in reverse but not in forward. The shift linkage adjustments must allow equal travel in both directions on either side of neutral. The problem could be in the remote cable adjustment (the cable that goes from the remote control shift lever to the bell crank on the engine shifter bracket), or in the transom shift cable adjustment. The former is more likely if it was shifting well and all of the sudden, started grinding into FWD. If the transom shift cable is set right it typically does not change. There are really 3 adjustments:

1)shift rod height in the lower unit, this is very important because even if the other 2 cables are set right, you still may not get enough throw one way or the other....drive has to be off to do this one....

2)transom shift cable...drive has to be off for this too...this requires that the shift cable has less than 2 lbs of drag (measured with a fish scale) and the shifter bell crank in the pivot housing (what the drive is bolted to) moves freely. This requires the use of 2 special tools, one holds the bell crank at a 90* angle to the pivot housing and the other sets the cable dimension on the engine shift bracket.

3)Lastly the remote cable has to be adjusted again to ensure that the transom shift cable moves an equal amount when shifting from N to REV and N to FWD.

There is also a shift assist system (ESA) that lowers the idle to allow the drive to shift from in-gear to neutral with a load on the prop. If you had trouble shifting OUT of gear this would be the place to check.....

take a look at the midnight wolf OMC tools website, he sells the tools but also has updated factory OMC shift system adjustments on the site. You're not going to wing this in 5 min I can tell you that. The first time it took me several hours, but it was 100% perfect after that. Its nice not to have to depend on mechanics who only want to work on Mercruiser.

I have found that when the Cobra is set up right with good cables and an engine running in good enough tune to not stall when the ESA engages, they shift very well....
 
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