1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

[PJGSP103]

HELP I have a omc stringer 800, (yes i know there crap, found out the hard way)I can not shift in both forward and reverse. I can adjust the cable to shift in forward but then it wont go into reverse, I can get it to almost go in but it clanks cause its not in all the way. Same with reverse if reverse goes in good than forward dont go in all the way.With the cable unhooked i placed the boat in forward,marked the spot, then i marked were it went back into nuetral, did the same in reverse, Then i adjusted the cable in the center of the too center marks, The boat went into reverse fine but would not come close to forward.I read in the seloc book that the center marks should be 21\32 apart on my boat they are about 2.5" apart. I think it is the cables going into the outdrive that are worn, or the cable got unwond in the lower out drive. I am new to boats but am a auto mechanic, I am very handy and try to fix things on my own, can any body please help me

 

[WizeOne]

Re: 1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

... (yes i know there crap, found out the hard way)...

They are not crap! Up until the age of your drive they virtually sold on parity with the overly complicated, overly complex 'black anchors'. Yes they had some issues and yes they could have addressed them and stayed in business but they did not. They raise quicker, raise higher, turn tighter and do not have all the bellows, gimbals, gimbal bearings, hydraulic pumps and lines, shift cables, transom rot issues, motor mount issues and alignment problems.

In many ways they are much better than the alternatives. I have had mine for 35 years with minimal issues and minimal maintanance. No matter the brand, problems do arise and need to be addressed.

It is also true that there are fewer qualified experts today but they are still out there.

I did not even read the rest of your concerns as your introduction really p****d me off. When you are ready to address your issues without all the preloaded crap about how bad (not) they are, let's start again.

I have a friend who is a long time OMC dealer (even today) who choses the stringer drive for his own. He is also a bone fide Merc repair dealer and could choose between them.

 

[studdy05]

Re: 1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

Did it just start doing this? What changed?

That's a lot of slack, btw. The cable can't just come unwound in the lower. It can break.

What that tells me is the distance that the clutch dog is having to travel is too great. (The reverse gear has a thrust washer...that takes up some space...)

And the 21/32 is the minimum travel distance, it can be greater, just not quite what you have going...a little more back ground info would help.

 

[PJGSP103]

Re: 1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

SORRY TO CALL IT CRAP JUST FRUSTRATED RIGHT NOW WITH IT, I just got the boat and was told the lower outdrive had been replaced because the owner before me did not fill the oil properly, so he blew the lower unit, It had been replaced by the owner who did not look like he was much of a mechanic.I am assuming it is a cable, i have replaced the cable from the shifter to the unit on the motor i assume it is the ones from the unit to the outdrive. and yes i had some one quilified to fill the oil in the outdrive I was told it had to be done a certain way didnt want to take any chances.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: 1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

Did you get the right lower unit and shift cable? If by chance you got the earlier outdrive (hydroMechanical) the cable and the converter box would be different. Post a picture of the drive. I do not understand the 2.5" measurement. The whole distance on the gradient of the converter isn't any longer than that.

 

[cr2k]

Re: 1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

Have you checked inside the converter box? Make sure the cables are not twisted and on the rollers properly. Has the slack been taken out of the cables on the back of the box? Kinda sounds like the spring may have broken causing slack in the shift cables. Pull and push on the rubber cable housing on the port side of the box and see if there is any slack there. May be the spring or the fingers that keep the cable tight.

Stringer drives are ok, not the best but they work well when maintained.
One must check the tilt box for water often.

 

[PJGSP103]

Re: 1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

I Will get pics monday, the cables in the converter box looks ok i dont see any springs in there than.

 

[gjcombs]

Re: 1983 Omc 800 Stringer Shifting Prodlems

Have you checked inside the converter box? Make sure the cables are not twisted and on the rollers properly. Has the slack been taken out of the cables on the back of the box? Kinda sounds like the spring may have broken causing slack in the shift cables. Pull and push on the rubber cable housing on the port side of the box and see if there is any slack there. May be the spring or the fingers that keep the cable tight.

Stringer drives are ok, not the best but they work well when maintained.
One must check the tilt box for water often.

Can someone confirm that there is a spring in line with the end of the cable at the convertor box? The Seloc manual I have shows that there is a spring and I am concerned that it could have fallen out during a cable replacement. However, the spring looks like it is built into the unit and could not fall out.

There is slack in the cable shielding and the pawls are not grabbing. Are the pawls the only tensioners to keep the shielding from sliding toward the converter box?

I can't find a part or number out there.