omc 400 shift cable

[weloveour7dogs]

I have a 79 omc 400 outdrive that needs to be swapped out, I allready have the replacement one. the problem is I need to use my old shift cable (guy cut the one on the replacement) I can't feed the shift cable through the mid drive with out removing the brass keeper on the end of the shift cable. (only enough room to just get the cable though the holes)

does anyone know if the brass piece can be removed? is there a trick to get it off? and if I do get it off, I can put it back on right?

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

can't picture anything brass on a 400 series shift cable.

the shift cable is an assembly. you cannot disassemble anything from this:

you have to change it as an assembly. and even easier would be to just swap the whole cable with the lower shift converter still attached like this:

If your drive is a 1979, it has a different cable than 1982-1985 drives. Make sure the 2 lower units are the same. This is verified by the absence or presence of a rectangular zinc anode behind the idle relief holes above the propeller. Hydromech shift drives have no zinc, full mech units have the anode. The cables do not interchange.
Here's the later drives -note the rear anode in fig. 7-9:

 

[weloveour7dogs]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

thanks. the new outdrive is an 85 so I will have to find a shift cable for an 85. so I don't get into this situation again, is there anything else that won't work if I am replacing a 79 outdrive with a 85 outdirve?

checked this site, no go on a shift cable. ebay, guy wants 525 for a shift cable, REALLY?
anyone with suggestions or spare parts?

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

you might want to look for a 1979-1981 lower.

With the full mech drives, you will have trouble shifting out of gear. OMC introduced a system called ESA (Electronic Shift Assist) to aid in shifting on boats equipped with full mechanical lowers.

The kit was available to dealers - and I'm sure it would be another $500 at least if it is still available.

and yeah, when people cut that cable, they are really doing a disservice. 525 is actually a pretty fair deal.
cut cables are a red flag of stolen drives. taking that cable off properly takes 5 - 10 minutes, but requires climbing into the boat.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

maybe this is all you'd need - not sure - I guess the question to ask the seller is "what do the instructions say?"
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OMC-Sterndr...189086&pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&vxp=mtr

 

[weloveour7dogs]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

if all I really needed was the upper, can I use the 84 upper with the 79 lower? sorry I am asking so many questions....I will try and get a picture of the "brass piece" that started the inquiry

Thank you for all your help

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

yes, the uppers did not change on the 400s from 1979 through 1985, although there were two different gear ratios of 400 upper so a prop change may be necessary to get your WOT throttle rpm in spec if the two uppers have different gearing inside.
The other thing you may check is which way the drive steers when you turn the trucourse steering gear. There were LH and RH worm gears in the uppers. You may have to swap those over.
and put a water pump impeller in the upper before swapping. save taking it all apart later for that.

 

[weloveour7dogs]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

this is the brass piece
I didn't know if I could put it back on if I took it off...no sense in spending more than I need to. HAHA

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

that piece shouldn't have come out with the cable - something is not right with your shift converter box - that brass piece stays in the tensioner pawl thing normally.
I don't see what's preventing you from sliding the cables through it - you should be able to fit the cables through that hole -they're tiny cables and the hole is about 1/2" dia.

 

[weloveour7dogs]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

I just wanted to say thank you for all the help you have given me so far. I would like to know if the 400 and the 800 are the same cable. I found one on ebay for an 800 full mechanical for a good price. My seloc has good information but not all the information.

here is a link to the cable http://www.ebay.com/itm/Used-OMC-Str...#ht_500wt_1287

thanks again for all your help. Gotta love the classics

Ben

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

year for year, 400 & 800 series used the same cable. that is to say, a 400 mechanical and an 800 mechanical use the same cable.
in earlier years, a 400 hydromechanical and an 800 hydromechanical shared the same cable with each other.
another way to say it: there are only two cables for 1979-1985 400&800 drives- one hydromechanical, one full mechanical

not sure why you are worrying about a shift cable though, if all you are swapping is the upper gearcase.

 

[weloveour7dogs]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

the lower from the 79 has a broken skeg and overall more beaten up than the 84 so I was going to replace the outdrive completely.
that was just the way I looked at it.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc 400 shift cable

If you don't mind spending several hundred on a cable (used and unknown quality) and a few hundred more installing an ESA system...

I'd stick with the original lower if it worked.