shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

[Brijoe00]

I need a bit more help. I just got the outdrive together and on the boat after replacing the clutch and reverse gear on an 86 OMC stringer 4.3L. The drive shifts fine into forward, neutral and reverse when pulling the wires from the cable by hand. When I install the wires on the shift converter it will shift to reverse, and neutral. But when I push the converter all the way forward the pendulum bottoms out on the converter housing befor it engages. Its almost like the forward wire is to long, and needs to be an inch shorter to give it more travel inside the housing for it to engage. What could this be and what can I do to solve this? Is there some sort of adjustment? I have pulled the cable tight and there is no slack in the converter.

I havent had much luck with any replies to my posts lately, I am really hopeing someone can help me on this.

Thanks

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

It could be that the shift rod in the gear case isn't threaded in correctly,or the rack didn't engage into the gear correctly.

I won't work on those anymore,but when I did I always needed the manual beside me to put the cable into the converter properly.

DHP

 

[Brijoe00]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

I do have a manual handy, Ide be lost without it. When I removed the shift rod I counted how many turns it took, and screwed it in the same number of turns. Would that matter, how do you know if it is screwed in or out far enough?

Also when I installed the rack on the rod, I just pushed the gear end of the rod in the gear slot of the rack. Is there another way I should have done that? It seemed to shift fine by hand.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

My manual says thread shift rod in 6 turns then continue to turn towards the driveshaft which ever way requires the least rotation.

DHP

 

[Brijoe00]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

Ok yeah. When I unscrewed it it came out in 6 turns. When I screwed it back on I screwed it 6 turns, then put the rack on. I guess I am not understanding what your manual said.

""then continue to turn towards the driveshaft which ever way requires the least rotation.""

Does that mean thread it in 6 turns, then thread it some more. Its not that clear to me. For some reason my manual only covers installation for hydraulic shift and not mechanical shift.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

The manual means (after 6 turns) to aim the rack at the driveshaft turning in or out whichever way requires less of a turn.

DHP

 

[Brijoe00]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

Oh I see. Which I did aim it toward the drive shaft at 6 turns. What actually looks like at this point is that the rod needs to be turned in more like 8-9 turns so as to give more travel in the cable to shift to forward. Do you know if this is ok to do?

 

[Brijoe00]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

Does anyone have a suggestion on this? I screwed the shift rod in 6 turns as per the manual, and how many turns it took to remaove. Is it fine to screw it in all the way, more than 6 turns so as to maybe get more travel out of the shift cable? Maybe that way there will be room on the converter to engage forward.

Please any help would be good, I am getting frustrated, and I dont have much more hair to pull out.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: shift cable/converter OMC 4.3L

I've not been into mine that deep luckily - I do have two drives for my boat and when I swapped them this summer I had a heck of a time getting the cables onto the shift converter pulleys with my "new" drive- fiddle string tight....I really had to force them on but it shifts fine. I think I understand why my other drive has more slack now....