Yet another shift cable question

[derek4325]

Im in the middle of i stalling a new transom end shift cable on my 1988 5.7 cobra. Everything is going well but the adjustment tool is off. I could measure it like the manual suggests and adjust the retainer by the transom then measure the cable from the center hole to the end of the casing, but there is always going to be a slight amount of play every time there is a linkage, pivit point, whatever it may be. My manual gives a measuremebt with a +/- of 1/32" which i think we can all agree is impossible with the usual slop in joints and pivit points. This leads me to believe the reason for the updated measurement procedure. Everyone i see adjusting a new cable they always use the tool to measure from the center of the barrel to the center of the hole on the casing. The tool that came with my cable has a scribe mark that measures 6" from the center of the hole. I KNOW that isnt what the supposed measurement is supposed to be. I see dimensions for other ones that is 6 1/2" to center. Is that the correct measurement? Thank you for the responses

 

[derek4325]

[No message]

 

[derek4325]

So i confused myself.. for those of you who have the same issue with their measurement tool, the tool is supposed to measure 7 9/16" from the end of the brass cable housing to the center of the pin hole. My manual (original oem manual from 1988) calls for the measurement to be 7 5/8" but there has been updated adjustment procedures. HERES HOW I DID IT. for the barrel i was asking about, yes the measurement is in fact supposed to be 6 1/2" from the center of the barrel to the center of the pin hole. Mine measured 6" so i made another scribe mark using a pair of calipers to give me another 1/2". Now go to the back of the boat and install the alignment tool to keep proper alignment on the bell crank, then go back inside the boat and put the cable in the cable adjustment tool. Wrap some tape or put a zip tie around it to hold it in place. Then go to the back again and screw on your retaining nut until it bottoms out. Youre allowed about 1/2 turn on it so there isnt any tension, then install the bolt for the retainer. I have watched the videos and read all the articles and i was still confused about where to place the rataining nut until i did it myself. Hope this helps anyone who may be stuck.

 

[Lou C]

check out Midnight Wolf's OMC parts site. He has the updated instructions and also sells correct tools for the adjustment. And don't forget, the adjustment really starts with setting the shift rod height on the lower unit. This has to be correct or else it won't get full stroke into either FWD or REV. Even if all your other adjustments are right.

 

[derek4325]

Thanks, and yes the lower unit is next on the list. Doing a whole service. Gimbal bearing, bellows, shift cable, impeller... and on and on

 

[Lou C]

forgot to mention...after starting with the shift rod adjustment, you do the transom shift cable using the tool to hold the bell crank at 90* and the tool to set the cable up on the engine side. BUT, you also have to do the remote cable from the remote control to the engine bellcrank. If that remote cable is not properly adjusted, you will not get equal throw in FWD and REV. A sign of that is that it will go into one gear fine (no grinding) but will grind going into the gear that does not have enough travel or throw.

It helps to make some marks on the transom shift cable with a sharpie right were the cable goes into the plastic cable end piece near the cable retainer on the shift bracket. So with your remote cable disconnected, have someone spin the prop so you can shift it from neutral, to rev, back to neutral and then from neutral to fwd. Make a mark on the cable fore each of these positions, start with neutral, then make a mark with it fully engaged in REV, same with FWD. Neutral should be in the middle with equal distance on each side to FWD engagement and REV engagement. Then try this again after you hook up and adjust your remote cable, you should have the same travel.

 

[Lou C]

take a look at this pic....

 

[derek4325]

take a look at this pic....

Thank you for the info, i have looked ot over and i think everything is adjusted properly and it all moves very easily. Just trying to make sure this is done right because i know this is the weak point of those drives. Guess ill find out if it's done right in the spring time.

 

[Lou C]

When you are testing it with the engine off (KEY OUT), have someone work the shift control while you spin the prop. You should feel it spin freely in neutral, but when your assistant shifts to FWD, it should lock in, same in REV. If it ratchets and does not lock in that means you are not getting enough travel in that gear position. Testing it this way with the engine off is better because you will not have grinding as you would from not enough travel if you test it with the engine running. You want to minimize grinding because every time it grinds, it takes material off of the fwd or rev gear engagement points.

 

[derek4325]

When you are testing it with the engine off (KEY OUT), have someone work the shift control while you spin the prop. You should feel it spin freely in neutral, but when your assistant shifts to FWD, it should lock in, same in REV. If it ratchets and does not lock in that means you are not getting enough travel in that gear position. Testing it this way with the engine off is better because you will not have grinding as you would from not enough travel if you test it with the engine running. You want to minimize grinding because every time it grinds, it takes material off of the fwd or rev gear engagement points.

Agreed, already done and tested. What made me do this in the first place was that when i bought the boat and tested it, it didn't feel right whilst in gear and i had a hard time getting it out of foreward and into neutral. I have since changed out the shift cable, adjusted it, tested it the way you said. Just needs a real world test now. I hopefully adjusted the shift interruption micro switches too

 

[Lou C]

With the ESA, it will not engage when the boat is on the water hose because the way it works, when you try to shift out of either FWD or REV with a load on the prop (from water pushing it) this puts a load on the outer jacket of the transom shift cable. This force moves the load lever which in turn should trigger the interrupt switch (one with the little lever on it). This will activate the ESA module (down on the port side of the engine near the exhaust hose) and that should lower your idle to about 450 rpm. That lowered idle will allow the shift dogs to release whatever gear you are in, and that allows the gear case to go into neutral. On the water hose there is no load on the prop so the ESA will not engage.
You can trigger the little lever by hand with it running on the water hose to test that function at least. Your engine idle should be about 600 with it in the water in gear. The second switch (the overstroke switch) is there to prevent the ESA from engaging when the drive is already in gear. So the ESA should really only engage when you shift from in-gear to neutral.
Your engine will have to be in good enough tune to run at about 450 rpm momentarily so it does not stall when shifting. I can easily get that with my 4.3 4bbl Quadrajet.

 

[derek4325]

Yeah i didnt know about esa systems until after i took it out for the first time. Ill have to see how it does in the spring now that everything is properly adjusted. 5.7 with a 4bbl holly. It might not like 450 rpm