Do I need a new control box?

[JoeW]

I'm trying to restore a 1998 17' Starcraft aluminum hull. It was a theft recovery that I got from a local marin recking yard. Anyway, I have a 1988 Mercury O/B 100 hp (from a 1988 SeaRay runnabout) that I've mounted on the hull. I'm trying to connect the control box that was left on the boat to my engine. The throttle cable seems to be ok. But when I try to attach the shifter cable I have to set the shift lever on the engine to reverse (all the way aft) in order to get the cable on, even when the control box lever is in neutral position. When I try to shift into forward gear from the control box, I get only to neutral. <br />Am I finding out the hard way that these control boxes are closely matched to the engine type? Do I have to find a control box like the original one that came with this engine? Are there any conversion kits or is there something I can do to reposition the cable in the box? I really wanted to try and use the control that was on the boat. It looked much better than the one I had on the SeaRay.<br />Any help is appreciated!<br />

 

[DJ]

Re: Do I need a new control box?

joew94th,<br /><br />Does the end (motor end) of the cable have a barrel nut on it? If so, you can get some adjustment there. From what you are describing, the actuating end of the cable is too long.<br /><br />I believe Starcrafts came with Merc. power in 1998.

 

[JoeW]

Re: Do I need a new control box?

--->djohns19 Yes, both cables have a plastic barrel nut on the end and I've adjusted them as far out as possible in order to get them to fit, but this leaves me with the shifter in reverse at the motor end while the control is in the neutral position. The new control is a Mercury Quicksilver 3000 classic. I believe the original control on the old boat was a MercControl Commander or something like that.

 

[DJ]

Re: Do I need a new control box?

joew94th,<br /><br />The way you are describing it, I would think you would want to adjust the barrels in.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Do I need a new control box?

Do you have the control box that goes with the outboard? If so, You may want to use it. Otherwise, you have a bunch of adjusting to do on the linkages. I am assuming you are hooking the throttle cable and gearshift cable to the correct points?

 

[JoeW]

Re: Do I need a new control box?

----> Djohns, I've adjusted the barrel nuts so that they are as close to the end of the cable as possible. Even when in this position and the control lever in the neutral position, the length of the cable that protrudes past the fixed barrel nut is long enough to push the shifter on the powerhead as far aft as it will go.<br />----> JasonJ, I do have the original control stored with the original boat, but it's in several pieces and about three hours drive from where I live. I was really hoping I could use this one because it looks a lot nicer and it's in one piece. I will resort to using the old one if I have to. As far as the cables are concerned, I think I have them in the right positions, but I will take the control out again and play with it some more. It's a real pain in the @$$ to get out.<br />

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Do I need a new control box?

Hope you figure it out. Also, is the wiring harness for the controller compatible with the motor? Is there a long thick cable with a big plug that conects to the motor, and if so, does it plug in? I am just checking to see if the wiring portion is also compatible. Good luck, you'll get 'er either way...

 

[JoeW]

Re: Do I need a new control box?

Thanks JasonJ,<br />Wiring is a whole nother story! The theives cut the harness on the Starcraft. I pulled the harness from my old SeaRay, but it didn't have a live well or trolling motor as I plan to have on the Starcraft. I bought a harness on e-bay that I'm hoping to use. I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions for this forum when I get to that part of the project. After I get the controls in order, I plan to swap the steering cables with the hydrolic steering system from the SeaRay. That should be interesting as well.<br />Thanks again!