disconnecting shift cable

[oh-u812?]

I give up, I'm gonna break down a buy the factory service manual for my $1000 boat. I must be getting older (wiser). I attempted a pressure test on my stringer 400. Lower would not hold pressure at all. Intermediate held better but leaked and saw bubbles coming from the top cover of housing. Then I remembered I should have sealed off shift cable. While performing an inverted reverse headstand I used a mirror to get a look at the end of that shift cable. Lifted the two spring load hook things with teeth and tried to give the cable a little tug. It didn't seem like it wanted to come out and felt like there was a spring behind it, so I quit there. The old me would have started blindly tearing the cable housing down til I could see how that thing is put together. Instead I'm stopping until I get the manual. I'm sure this drive has few hours on it and I want to be careful not to tear it up. My question is if I didn't seal that shift cable when pressure testing would I get false results for the intermediate, lower or for both?

 

[Manipulator]

Re: disconnecting shift cable

What year is it? The OMC stringer sterndrives can be divided into two distinct groups; the 1977 and earlier models are called the electric shift OMC stringers and the 1978 to 1985 models are called the mechanical shift OMC stringers. The 400 was with a 4 cylinder and the 800 were V6/V8.

There are 3 separate units. The intemediate, which is for the most part in the boat and attached to the bell housing which is attached to the engine, then the out drive has an upper unit and a lower unit underneath.

Some OMC sterndrives had a hydraulic shift lower gear housing and do not have an ESA (electronic shift assist) box or overstroke switches on the shift converter. I don't know what you have but you can tell by looking at the shift coverter box. If you have the switches then it is a mechanical shift.

Mine is mechanical so that what I know. In order to remove the cable at the shift converter box you have to take the cover off. There are 2 cables inside the black rubber housing. To remove them you first push the cable in as far as you can and you lift the two arms with teeth as you do it and then on the side is a little hole, put a cotter pin or nail in there to hold the spring back and this takes tension off the cable. Now remove the cover and you can undo the cables. Now you can slide them out the box. The whole cable mechanism looks very tricky but its not. If you are unsure of the way it goes back together just take some digital pictures. Reassembly only happens one way and you will figure it out.

Don't need to be concerned with the cable when pressure/vacuum testing the intemediate or the upper unit. When testing the lower I believe you have to attempt to seal it with something to avoid air leaking in or out depending on if your are vacuum or pressure testing. I have never done it so I'm not entirely sure how you seal it. Yes, in the lower it will leak and give you a false result.

 

[oh-u812?]

Re: disconnecting shift cable

thanks manip. that's a mech. shift 1984 series 400 stringer that i've got.