OMC Shifting - Backlash in the Remote Control Cable

[KM7]

How much backlash / play is allowable in the Remote Control Cable? This is the one from the throttle lever to the engine. You can feel the backlash by pulling and pushing on the end of the cable where it attaches to the shift assist bracket.

The manuals all discuss pulling on the shift cable casing to remove any slack, but how much is too much?

If I pull on the cable (toward forward gear) when I set the trunnion thumb wheel position and I have too much backlash then when I move the throttle lever back to neutral, there is not enough motion at the shift lever. It just takes up the backlash. I had this happen and I could not get out of forward gear.

So how much backlash is acceptable in the remote control cable?

Thank you

 

[kenny nunez]

When setting the cable trunnions for the carburetor you want just enough pressure to completely hold the throttle lever to the stop screw. There are cable ends that have a spring that compensate for excess pressure against the throttle lever and allow for more positive gear engagement. On the shift cable you just have to play with the setting to “center” the backlash. With 3300 style cables Without the fine thread trunnions it can be a real PITA to get the above result sometimes.
It also depends on the quality of the cable. Some have a smaller wire or the jacket is larger, the best cables are the OEM of the particular engine package.
The best of all are the the Supreme series of like Morse cables for example.

 

[KM7]

OMC Shift Adjustments - Setting the Forward Overstroke Adjustment

The manual for adjusting the shift linkage talk about first setting the Forward Overstroke. (here is the very helpful Shift System Adjustment for _KW-RG_ (1986-1991) Clutch Dog Models: http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/kw-shift.html.

The procedure says:

Center the cable anchor located in the angled slot on the top of the shift lever. Install the remote
control shift cable, control box in FORWARD GEAR FULL THROTTLE. Pull out on the casing guide to remove any slack. Adjust the shift cable trunnion to center the forward (fixed) overstroke cam with the switch button on the overstroke switch.

I have 3 questions:

1) If you pull on the casing guide you are setting it more for forward. Could that result in less travel when you go back to neutral? Would it make more sense to adjust the cable trunnion with the cable in a relaxed position in the middle of the "slack".


2) You are told to adjust the trunnion (by rotating the thumb-wheel) to center the overstroke cam with the switch. Isn't that the interrupter switch? Shouldn't the cam be called the interrupter cam?


3) The function of the interrupter switch is to interrupt (disable) the signal from the over-stroke switch to the ESA module. The ESA only functions when you are coming out of gear, fwd to neutral or rev to neutral. The cam on the lever activates (opens) the interrupter switch. Doesn't that mean that that we are concerned with exactly when the interrupter switch closes again as we move the throttle from fwd to neutral? This is when we want the ESA to operate. The manual only says to adjust the thumb-wheel to "center" the cam on the switch with the throttle in forward full throttle. It is very difficult to see when the cam is centered. It is behind the lever.

Would it make more sense to put the throttle at the position just where we do want the ESA to activate and then adjust the thumb-wheel so it does at exactly that position?

We could check that at full throttle the cam is still centered.

What do you think?

 

[KM7]

@ Kenny, I though that you adjust the remote control cable with the carburetor disconnected? I do plan on replacing the remote control cable and will check out the OEM and Supreme series. Do you have a link to the cable?

 

[kenny nunez]

I just forgot to mention about having the cable disconnected, my bad. Which control box are you using? Most have a built in detent spring that allows throttle delay when shifting to maximize engagement before throttle movement. The spring loaded terminal I mentioned was used on Volvo 4 cylinder engines.

 

[Lou C]

When I did mine I tried to set it in the middle of the play; I have to go back and check mine to see just how much play there was. I still have the OE remote cable on mine.

 

[Lou C]

Take a look at the updated shop manual instructions on Midnight Wolfs site; these may be from a newer manual and might be slightly different.

 

[GA_Boater]

kipmc7

Please don't start new threads on each step. Cable adjustment is cable adjustment, so keep your questions in one thread.

 

[KM7]

@ moderator, OK so do I copy and paste this to another existing thread on OMC shifting? Or maybe you can do that.

 

[GA_Boater]

@ moderator, OK so do I copy and paste this to another existing thread on OMC shifting? Or maybe you can do that.

Not moving anything to another thread. This is the problem you're having, just ask your questions in this thread. It's not like you aren't getting advice, is it?

 

[KM7]

The names of the Interrupter switch and the Overstroke switch are correct as written. In my question 2 above it was me who had the names wrong:

The interrupter switch Activates the ESA when shifting. It has the are that rides in the notches on the Housing Shift interrupter

The Overstroke switch disables the ESA even if the interrupter switch is closed. This is to prevent ESA operation above idle.

Warning many of the diagrams on the Crowley Marine pages have these incorrectly labeled.

 

[KM7]

Thanks Kenny. Now that I have the idle speed screw set, I adjusted the thumb wheel so it just puts a little tension on the cable when the lever is at idle.