OMC stringer 800 reverse works slow but turns to neutral as I give it more gas.

[scottkanderson]

This is a 1986 4.3l 800 stringer with single control. It shifts into reverse just fine but only goes really slow, if the wind is blowing against me, I will not not go backwards. As I give it more gas, it revs up but turns into neutral. It this a control problem, or lower shift cable problem. It has been this way for several years because I have been on calm uncrowded lakes, but now I moved and need to be able to get around the dock areas better.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: OMC stringer 800 reverse works slow but turns to neutral as I give it more gas.

it works fine in fwd?
did it "used to work better"? getting gradually worse, or just quit reversing one day?
try this:
http://support.crowleymarine.com/entries/113040-omc-stringer-nominal-neutral-adjustment

 

[scottkanderson]

Re: OMC stringer 800 reverse works slow but turns to neutral as I give it more gas.

Yes, It works fine in forward, quite a bit of play from when it goes into fwd until it starts to get throttle, but works fine.
It did work a little better when I got the boat 7 yrs ago, but still did the rev up and go nowhere thing when you pulled back to far, and was still very slow in reverse, but a little faster than now.
It got worse when I took drive off and reinstalled it after water pump change.
I have never messed with the helm control unit, and it will only start in neutral.
I will try that adjustment above. It shifts into fwd and reverse fine if I take off the cable from throttle and do it by hand.
It also shifts into reverse fine from throttle, but gets hard to pull back on real fast, and this is when it revs up and goes nowhere.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: OMC stringer 800 reverse works slow but turns to neutral as I give it more gas.

my guess if we were taking bets.... the long cable between shifter at the helm and the shift converter is shot