Shifting issues on my 88 2455.-gctid805042

[mtpockets20]

Hello all, I am in need of some help here,

Let me start by saying Thank you to lou!! He has spent hours with me trying to help and I really appreciate it!!

boat info.

88 5.0 litre, omc.

NEW aftermarket outdrive. Maybe has 10-15 hours total on it. Roughyl 2 years old since it was replaced now.

Let me explain how this all began, Last August I took her to the lake. Reversed her off the trailer and put in neutral. She stayed in reverse. I found that the Shift cable had been stretched at the end that hooks the engine side. Since then I have purchased a New lower shift cable, New control cable and even a new control (the seastar one). For the life of me, I can not get this thing to shift correctly. I have read hours upon hours from Lou, Bounty and midnight wolf. I have midnight wolfs tools. I have tried bountys "unorthodox way". I have tried everything that Lou has spent hours trying to help me with. I think that my problem here is that I am not getting enough motion in the lever on engine side to fully put her in gear (both forward and reverse..I need to know how to fix this, I have attached pics of my lever, that is the neutral position in the pics ... So what i mean. If put the control into forward gear, The cable doesn't pull the lever far enough back to fully put the drive in forward gear, Vice versa for reverse. It doesn't quite put the lever far enough forward to achieve reverse.. Now, If i put the control lever in either gear and go down to the lever on the engine and push the extra amount my drive will fully engage in both directions as it should, but only if I give the lever on the engine a little push. Its off about 3-5 mm in both directions from fully engaging. It will come out of gear perfectly and go back to neutral as it should..

Any help at all from the pros here would be appreciated. I am desperate to fix her.


Attached files

[Chief_Alen]

Where the shift cable hooks to 36 is there any holes in the cable end where you can shorten it up, in other words I remember 3 holes, the middle one or lower hole might work.

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/omc-parts/omc-boat-parts.php?year=1988&hp=5.0&model=502AMLGDP&manufacturer=OMC+stern+drive&section=Lower+Gearcase+-+Standard+%28r.h.%29+Rotation

[mtpockets20]

I may be confused as to what your asking. 36 in that picture is the shift rod in the lower unit. I don't have any adjustments down there

[Ruffryder]

Do you have the shift cable jig and bell crank alignment tool?

Or adjusted properly? ..the required measurement from the center of the shift pin hole to the edge of the brass cable fitting is 7-9/16th +/- 1/32nd - if measured from the front of the 1/8 nut the measurement is 7-7/16th +/- 1/32nd.

[mtpockets20]

Yes, I have the tools. It's measured to the tools. Measurements aside. I'm not getting far enough travel in the lever to fully put it in gear.

Thanks

[Norton_Rider]

"mtpockets20" post=805042 wrote:


boat info.

88 5.0 litre, omc.

NEW aftermarket outdrive. Maybe has 10-15 hours total on it. Roughyl 2 years old since it was replaced now.

What do you mean by aftermarket outdrive? is it a Mercruiser clone?

[Ruffryder]

Many of these tool were home made, some made accordingly pre failure manual, some too much slob in the nut holder...

[Ruffryder]

"Norton Rider" post=805067 wrote:

"mtpockets20" post=805042 wrote:


boat info.

88 5.0 litre, omc.

NEW aftermarket outdrive. Maybe has 10-15 hours total on it. Roughyl 2 years old since it was replaced now.

What do you mean by aftermarket outdrive? is it a Mercruiser clone?

Hmm SEI conversion?

[Chief_Alen]

On the end of the lower shift cable that hooks to #36 has 3 holes in it ?

Oh if it's a merc sei with the omc conversion then i can't help.

Bowing out ....

[mtpockets20]

By aftermarket I mean a company who's reproducing omc outdrives. There is no conversions here. Chief. I'm still confused what your asking and maybe I need to look further into it. My shift rod is controlled by the bell crank, Not by cable. Please explain what you mean so I can better understand.

I'm using midnight wolfs tools for measurement. Literally everyone swears by his tools for omc.

[Chief_Alen]

I'm going to stay out the younger guy's have a better handle on this.

Good luck !

[2850Bounty]

"mtpockets20" post=805042 wrote:


................. I have read hours upon hours from Lou, Bounty and midnight wolf. I have midnight wolfs tools. I have tried bountys "unorthodox way". I have tried everything that Lou has spent hours trying to help me with.

I think that my problem here is that I am not getting enough motion in the lever on engine side to fully put her in gear (both forward and reverse..I need to know how to fix this,

[color]#000088 wrote:
It may be that your main shift cable (the one from the helm shift unit) is in a position that is not offering enough "throw" or "travel" simply due to the lock-down position "G". (see my image below...... note the slotted adjustment hole at "G")

Look at my image of YOUR ESA, not the other one that I show:

When the fastener (at "G") is loosened and moved outward (further from the pivot point), the cable's leverage is increased, but the lower cable travel is reduced.

When the fastener (at "G") is loosened and moved inward (towards the pivot point), the cable's leverage is reduced, but the lower cable travel is increased.

Perhaps an adjustment here would do the trick!

[/color]

[color]#000088 wrote:
OK...... take a look at my image.

I grabbed two photos of an OMC ESA system...... yours and one that I found on the Net.

.....Have you checked to see that the 33C cable threads are OK and that the barrel fitting properly secured to the 33C cable threads? (any stripped threads?)

.....How about the 33C cable adapters........ are these OK? Any broken or internally stripped plastic parts?

.....Have you checked to see that the main cable travel is adequate as to give the lower shift cable enough travel (in either direction) allowing for proper adjustment?

.....Any issues with the throttle/shift unit at the helm?

.....Have you made any adjustments to the travel via the slotted hole? (see "G" in my image)

(note that your ESA system bell-crank arm is slotted for the main cable travel adjustment, and that the other one is slotted for the lower shift cable travel adjustment... either offers the same basic adjustment!)

[/color]

[attachment]35523 wrote:
OMCESAsystem3.jpg[/attachment]

************************************************** ***

"mtpockets20" post=805042 wrote:
Any help at all from the pros here would be appreciated. I am desperate to fix her.

[color]#000088 wrote:
There is an ultimate cure....... and that would be a conversion to the Volvo Penta cone clutch SX or DP-S drive!

The SX is Volvo Penta's gimbal suspension s/p drive, whereas the DP-S is Volvo Penta's gimbal suspension Duo Prop drive.

The SX can later be converted to a Duo Prop!

No more Dog Clutch.... no more OMC 2 cable system linkage.... no more ESA.... no more micro switch..... no more micro switch cam lever....... no more lower shift cable..... and no more troublesome and frustrating periodic adjustments!

All of these necessary Dog Clutch shifting components now become Un-Necessary and can be removed. [/color]


Attached files

[Pcpete]

I've had too much fun in the past with this too. Move the cable connector in slot G toward the lower cable. Maybe start with it in the middle of the slot or slightly closer to where you have it now, but certainly not at the "top" of the slot. This may seen like a "say what?" kind of thing, but by doing that the upper cable doesn't travel as far to get the same travel to the drive cable.

[mtpockets20]

Bounty, Thank you for your time, Ive been hoping for some advice from you.

My 33c cable is brand new out of the box as of a week ago. Yes i have check all threads on both cables, the plastic adapters are very snug and not broke. I have plenty of cable in my upper control cable (when unhooked from engine) to move the lever.

As for the slotted adjustment hole G. I have tried adjusting it, but heres the first thing i noticed. In the pic you provided the slotted adjustment hole is on the bottom for the lower control cable, If you look at mine the adjustment hole is on the top for the upper control cable, SO which is the right way? IF mine is truly upside down i would be thrilled cause this could be the problem

[mtpockets20]

Bounty, I have tried moving the cable all the way down the adjustment slot, all the way up it, hell i even tried leaving it lose.