How important is the " O" ring on an OMC transom shift Cable

ab59

Ensign
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
979
As usual I got in a hurry the other day and installed the lower shift cable on my 1988 OMC Cobra and left the O ring off of the brass nut in the pivot. How important is the O ring , would it hurt anything if I left it out or should I pull the pivot and cable and install the new O ring.
thanks----
 

ab59

Ensign
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
979
I know , I think I knew before I wrote the question. Would have ate on me anyway until I put it in there. I already yanked out the bellows and took the pivot loose then it got too dark to see. Will get it done tomorrow if these never ending rains will give me a good break.
thanks-------------
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,802
Yep as you thought you need it. Or else the water gets in and makes the cable get stiff. I would put a bit of OMC gasket sealer or Merc perfect seal or Permatex Aviation on the threads of the brass nut that retains the cable, anything you can do to keep the water out. For the Cobra to shift well the cable and cable guide must be able to move back and forth freely to move the bell crank the proper amount so that the drive will go fully into both FWD & REV. This is what prevents rounding off the clutch dogs and makes the lower unit last.
 

ab59

Ensign
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
979
Thanks for the reply Lou C . I put the gasket sealer on the threads when I put the cable into the pivot but did not realize that it needed an O ring as well so will put it all back together with O ring and sealer.
Got to say that I'm a little tentative bout the adjustment on the transom cable . The horror stories of getting it wrong are all over the net and in every informative article that I have found. I have the adjustment tools that came with the new cable and the procedure seems simple , that's what worries me, the simple part. It would seem that all I need to do is insert the tool at the bell-crank to hold it at a 90* angle and then adjust the other end of the cable ( after installing the sheave on the end of the inner cable ) to fit the " jig " to length and it's done. I hope I'm not missing something here.
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,802
Yes you are.... the remote cable that goes from the remote control to the shifter bellcrank also must be adjusted to ensure equal throw in Fwd and Rev.
 

ab59

Ensign
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
979
Just a question if you would, I had thought that since the control cable and old cable were in correct adjustment before I replaced the transom cable with new that I would not need to adjust the control cable , why would this not be so ?
Don't get me wrong , I will check the adjustment and make appropriate modifications as needed but wanted to know why the adjustment is necessary.
I have already posted about the problem I have with the bell crank and am trying to get that resolved before I continue with the cable adjustments.
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,802
The bell crank I am not sure on because I never had an issue with mine as long as I cleaned out that pocket behind it and kept it packed with OMC Triple Guard Grease. What you can do after you get it together: (ENGINE OFF KEYS OUT!) get a helper to work the remote shifter while you spin the prop. Starting in neutral, you spin the prop while your helper shifts to fwd, it should lock in firmly. Then spin the prop again and have them shift to neutral and try the same in rev., should lock in firmly. When you spin the prop as they shift it you will feel lock in. If it does in both, then the adjustment is probably fine. If it ratchets in one and not the other, its not getting enough shift throw for that gear position. This is what causes the problems with Cobras, either a stiff cable, or out of adjustment, or a remote control with lost motion. Any of these, can cause it to not go into gear fully and under power it will pop out of gear and round off the clutch dogs.

If its not right after you did the transom shift cable but not the remote cable, then you have to do the remote cable too.
 

ab59

Ensign
Joined
May 10, 2017
Messages
979
I got the bell crank straightened out but you most likely would not like my method but it does work properly now and no longer has a heavy drag on the B C .
Took most the day to get the B C straightened out with the pivot and shift cable re installed with everything torqued to spec. It's getting cold and the light will be gone soon so looks like tomorrow before I can put the Information that you gave me to work but I'm looking forward to getting this completed .
thanks Lou C as always your help is appreciated .
 
Top