79-82 OMC 800 shift cable repair

[Dr Diik]

Hi there. First post. Bought this boat last year for a decent price. It’s a late 70’s/ early 80’s Canaventure. Windsor 351 with OMC 800. From what I’ve been able to research it’s a hydro mechanical shift leg. Has no anode point on the lower.

Ive just finished installing a new water pump impeller, pump shaft and resealed the upper gear box.

My my question is regarding the shift cable. There are a couple spots on the cable that has worn through the cover. I imagine I can heat shrink that to seal it up. The inner cables seem to shift the leg smoothly. Worked fine before taking it apart. The impeller shaft stripped out which is why I took it apart. My concern though is where the cable goes into the shifter housing. The cover has pulled out of the grommet as some of the grommet has deteriorated. I’m hoping it could repair it with some form of new grommet or heat shrinking it or sealing it back up somehow. I have seen the cost of a replacement cable and that isn’t very appealing. The cables themself still seem to be in good working order. I am thinking if left the way it is I’m going to get a bunch of water into the lower leg and wreck things. I’m going to try and attach a couple pictures. I’m just looking for some opinions from you fine people as what the best way to take care of this would be ?

Thanks so much

 

[Scott Danforth]

buy a new cable

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... You might get some time from it with yer bandaid approach, but if you want reliability, take Scott's advice, 'n replace it,....

 

[Dr Diik]

I was finally able to shrink the pic to be able to post it. Sounds like I have a proper answer. Thanks guys

 

[Scott Danforth]

your cable is broken. it looks like the molded end is now "unmolded" and still in the shift cap. BTW, that cable is about $550, used about $250

http://www.sterndrive.info/id433.html

 

[Dr Diik]

Ok sounds like I’m looking for another one. The part number that is on my cable is 981394. I found one place that lists it with that number as well as 982951. I’m guessing one is the 800 and one is the 400? Can able confirm that the part would cross between the two? I believe it’s the hydro mechanical cable, as it has no indented lines on the end and the lower unit has no anode port. Some of the cables I’ve found on eBay with the same part number say electric shift. Now I am confused as to what I have.

Looking around the internet I seem to see more options available for the second part number, 982951. Is there any other options that would also work? Can anybody recommend one place over another to purchase from or know of a good working used cable?

Thanks again

 

[Scott Danforth]

No such thing as "good used". There is new vs used. If you go used, it may be ok, it may be junk. The cables have a finite life of about 15 years

Contact the folk at tc electronics (sterndrive.info)

 

[Dr Diik]

Thanks I sent them an email.

 

[Dr Diik]

Ok I now have a working shift cable but I am having a hell of a time getting the shift housing connected to the shift rod in the lower leg. I have been following the instructions on Crowley’s and the sterndrive website. It says to pull the longer cable all the way out first and check measurement of shorter cable (forward). It meets the 4 7/8” measurement. But then pulling on the longer cable it doesn’t engage. It’s like it wants to spin the rod down. I could get it to engage doing this in reverse (pulling the shorter cable first and making the longer one shorter). This obviously pulls the shift rod up sucking the rod into the housing but that isn’t what the Crowley Manual says. I cannot figure out how to do it the way the manual says? I’ve tried to start as per manual says with the rod pulled up into what is what I’m thinking is forward gear but as soon as you set the housing over top it clicks down. Starting with the rod down it just seems to want to spit the housing off. As I’m waiting for a second set of hands is the way to do it with the shift rod pulled up and clicked into gear. Holding it in gear with pliers and then letting another set of sands pull on the wires pulling the housing down without letting the rod and gear pop back down?

Thann you

 

[Dr Diik]

Could somebody please help explain the proper procedure to getting the shift housing connected to the lower unit? I have been following the Crowley’s method and I just be missing something because it is not working for me.

Thank you

 

[Scott Danforth]

what does the factory manual state? have you watched the videos on sterndrive.info that I linked to in post #5

 

[Scott Danforth]

here is a direct link http://www.sterndrive.info/shift_cable.html

 

[Dr Diik]

Hi. Thanks but yes I have watched videos that you posted and been following the manual. This is why I’m thinking I’m missing something. I have a set of pliers holding the lower leg in neutral like the video showed. I have confirmed this by spinning the prop which shows the driveshaft isn’t spinning. I have pulled the longer cable all far as it will go leaving me with 4 7/8” short cable. I have oh so many times made sure the housing cap was properly aligned over top of the shift rod/ fork/ whatever you would like to call it. The manual then states that you need to pull the shorter cable while holding tension on the longer cable. By doing this it turns the pinions gear in the direction that it is pushing the shift rod down and away from the housing resulting in the housing/ cable just pushing itself away and off of the shift rod. This is where I feel I’m missing something. The only way to suck the rod into the housing is to pull the longer cable. Which you cannot do if the you have started with the longest cable pulled all the way out.

I am am not trying to say the manual is wrong. This is where I feel that I am reading it wrong and/ or missing something here. The only way I can see that you can have the housing/ pinion gear work the shift rod into it is by pulling the longer cable. This is opposite of what the manual says. Unless again I am missing something here.

I have read every thread I can find and nothing actually shows it clearly. The video on stern drive also doesn’t show it clearly. It does show pliers holding the shift rod up putting it in what I assume is neutral. I have tried this confirming that the leg is in both neutral and also in drive. Whichever direction that is with the rod pulled all the way up.

Again maybe im missing something but with the long cable pulled all the way out leaving the 4 7/8 “ short cable the only way for the cable to go is by pulling the short cable and all this seems to do is spit the housing away. I cannot see how this would at all pull the shift rod into the the housing.

Perhaps there is a different length to have the cable set out so that when you pull the long cable to actually bring the housing into the leg it then leaves you at a finished length of 4 7/8” when you are installing the cable into the upper converter but none of that is in the manual or the video link so that is probably not the correct thinking.

Please tell me where my thinking is off because obviously the manual should be correct.

Thank you

 

[Scott Danforth]

Pulling the shift rod up is in gear

You are using a new cable, correct? Because your old cable was apart in pieces

 

[Dr Diik]

It is a used cable but yes new to me. Seems when the shift rod is in the lowest setting it is in gear (forward?). If I pull it up a bit it seems to be in neutral, and if I pull it up as far as it will go it is in gear again (reverse?). I confirmed whether it was in gear or not by turning the prop shaft in each position.

What position should the leg be in when I connect the shift housing? Forward/ neutral/ reverse?

Thanks