Help please

[jeremyckr]

Hello,




I recently acquired a 1996 Grady White with a 225 HP Johnson outboard. I was doing some trolling in the Chesapeake last week when suddenly the motor cut off after running great for 4 hours. When I restarted it, the only gear I could put it in was reverse. When I got it home, I took the cover off and noticed that when I moved the shifter into forward (sorry don’t know the exact names of the parts) the shift cable was not pulling the lever on the engine forward to put it in gear. I can manually push it into forward with my hand. I can then put it back into reverse at the shifter but as mentioned before the cable doesn’t move when I try to put it in forward. Does anybody have an idea of what is going on and can point me in the right direction to getting this solved? I appreciate all responses and am posting some pictures of the lever I’m talking about. As you can see in the pics, I disconnected the cable to see if I could put it in gear manually. I positioned the cable over the lever in the position it would be in if it was connected.

Thank you,
Jeremy

 

[GA_Boater]

Can you shift from reverse back to neutral with the cable connected?

When you manually move the shift linkage with the cable off, can you get forward, neutral and reverse? It sounds like you can.

I think the shift cable is broken or about to break.

 

[jeremyckr]

Hi. Thanks for the response. The cable will move the linkage back into reverse when using the control panel shifter? but will not pull it back forward into neutral or forward and stays in the reverse position. Yes I can move it manually into all 3 positions with the cable off.

 

[GA_Boater]

The cable is broken. When it's disconnected at the motor, you could probably pull it out of the sheath.

Replacement is the only option. Not a lot of money for a new cable.

I suggest you replace the throttle cable as well. It's probably as old as the shift cable and to replace it later means doing the same work twice.

 

[jeremyckr]

Thanks again. That’s what we were thinking. How difficult of a job is it to replace and can you recommend any tutorials or videos that could help me? I should be getting the service manual in the mail tomorrow. It looks a little hairy under the dash.

 

[GA_Boater]

Snap a picture of your control so we can see what you have. Some are harder than others to replace cables.

 

[jeremyckr]

I tried to post another pic but I’m getting this error message:



File exceeds PHP's file-size limit of 2.00 MB

 

[GA_Boater]

Click on Forum Help in the sig below and look at the photo attaching tutorial. That should show what to do for large pics.

 

[jeremyckr]

Here's a view from underneath.

 

[GA_Boater]

Where is the other cable?

 

[jeremyckr]

I noticed that too.For some reason it's mounted on the other side of that panel on the opposite side of where you circled.

 

[jeremyckr]

Here's the other cable

 

[GA_Boater]

I couldn't see it in the shadows.

Pic of the top? It should pull straight up after the 4 screws and nuts are removed.

 

[jeremyckr]

Sorry. I don't have a picture of the top available right now. Yes, it looked like there were only 4 bolts holding it in place. My main concern is attaching the new cables. I assume you attach everything at the control first then use the old cable to run the new cable through the boat to the motor?

 

[GA_Boater]

From the front or back is about the same. You tie some heavy twine through the eyelet and pull the old cable out. Make sure it doesn't snag and if it hangs up, pull the twine end back some to free up up the cable/twine. With a possibly broken shift cable, tying to the sheath might be better or pull both cables at the same time.

Is this a center console?

 

[jeremyckr]

I found a picture of another boat online but it looks like the same setup as mine.

 

[GA_Boater]

OK. I asked about being a CC because the cables run through a chase or pipe to the back and it can get pretty stuffed with cables and wire harnesses. Your stuff runs down the side. Hopefully no tie wraps are holding bundles out of sight.

 

[jeremyckr]

Fingers crossed. I'm going to order new cables ASAP and attempt myself. I appreciate you confirming my suspicions. Thanks a lot.