88 OMC Shift Issues

[Chasebass]

I have a 1988 four winns 180 horizon. I’ve had some shift cable and dog teeth issues myself. Thought it was the cable we replaced it once according to the manual. It would shift into forward but slip out. Reverse worked fine. So I got a new lower unit from sei and did the cable again. The cables we’ve got though off amazon they all seemed to long. It wouldn’t shift into forward in the driveway even after we did the omc adjustments with the tools. So we cut the cable by a half an inch and it shifts now. I still haven’t taken it out on the water yet but has anyone else had there cable be too long or not working even after following the manual?

 

[southkogs]

Chasebass - I moved you into your own topic.

Guys, let's not hijack other people's topics please.

 

[Lou C]

did you use an OE cable or aftermarket? Did you check the cable drag before adjusting it? should be 2.5 lbs or less
Did you set the shift rod height in the lower unit first?
Did you make sure the bellcrank in the pivot housing moves freely and is not bound up with crud?

To make one of these shift right, you need to follow the steps and eliminate possible sources of trouble.
I have owned one for 18 years, I had a great OMC trained tech set it up the first time (2004 or so) and then it needed re-adjustment in 2013 and I did that myself. The cable the boat came with was still good, very low drag, and I used the 3 OMC tools to set it up. Still shifting with 2 fingers now. I can also say the shift cables last longer if you keep the drive down because the cable jacket does not crack which lets in water and causes corrosion and drag.
You nee to have equal throw on either side of neutral and also keep in mind the remote control cable has to be adjusted too same principal equal throw on both sides of N.

 

[Chasebass]

So the cable has equal travel each way before the outdrive goes back on. The bottom plate fits in neutral and the top cable is measured with the 7 9/16 omc tool. From all measurements it should shift. So tonight I put the outdrive back on to test it. And it would still only shift in reverse. We didn’t have the water on but when we shifted it we would spin the prop and only reverse works. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. It’s a new lower unit and it shifts by itself not being attached and we measured the shift rod and it’s the correct measurement. If anyone has any ideas let me know. It is an after market cable but the drag is less than 2.5 lbs and I’m getting an inch of travel in each way. I’m wondering if it’s the bell crank now. It’s all cleaned out behind it and it looks perfect 90 degrees. It almost seems like it has to travel up a little more into forward

 

[Lou C]

OK did you check for equal throw using the remote control? Don't forget that this is a 2 cable system and both cables must be adjusted to get equal throw on both sides of neutral. The remote cable adjustment is the slotted part of the bell crank on engine shifter bracket.

 

[Lou C]

What I've done when adjusting the cables...I disconnect the remote cable at the fitting with the cotter pin (so as not to change the adjustment if it was ok) and then shift the drive (with someone spinning the prop so it goes in easily) with the bell crank on the engine shifter bracket. I put it in neutral, then make a mark with a sharpie on the cable where it goes into the jacket. Then shift to reverse, make a mark, then shift to fwd, make a mark. Those marks for FWD and REV should be equidistant from the one for N. If not your transom shift cable is not quite right yet. After that, I hook up the remote cable and have someone spin the prop while I shift it from the remote and check the marks. Should be the same, if not then the remote cable needs adjusting.

 

[Chasebass]

Figured it out. It was the engine coupler. This is my first boat and every article and video I looked up pointed to the shift cable. When we took it out this past weekend it shifted perfect on the water but after a certain rpm it would slip out or so it seemed. There was a burning rubber smell from the engine and after more research we found out it’s the engine coupler. So we’re gona replace that this weekend. Thanks for all your insight though, all the parts and work I did on my boat with the cable and the outdrive and the esa were not all for nothing. The clunking went away in the outdrive so the dog teeth were going to go bad eventually. And now the esa works. I’m 99 percent sure this is what it is but we’ll know more after this weekend