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omc stern drive 1988 gear shift cable disconnection and possible removal.

C

chelsearon

New member
I have spoken to a local company where i live about not being able to select nautral or reverse only forward gear,which runs perfectly well without any funny noises.He suggested that the first port of call should be the cable which could have seized up with lack of use.(it did work when I first had the boat.)I can see where the cable enters the top of the gear box but how you get in to disconnect it god only knows.Is it a job for a professional as i am learning as i go along.I need to be able to move the gear shift leaver by hand to confirm if the cable is at fault or is it something else?I would be grateful for any advice.Chelsearon
 
See where your cable coming from the throttle goes to a shift converter in your engine bay. The lower cable connects to that converter also.

Remove the lower cable from the assembly very simple and then see if you can shift your lower unit with your hand by pulling the cable back and forth.
 
there's no cable entering any gearboxes on a 1988 OMC.
Do you have pictures of your drive or cables?
 
i cannot move the cable...

Master mechanic said:
See where your cable coming from the throttle goes to a shift converter in your engine bay. The lower cable connects to that converter also.

Remove the lower cable from the assembly very simple and then see if you can shift your lower unit with your hand by pulling the cable back and forth.
Click to expand...
 
It has to move if your going into forward.

You don't move the outer jacket just the inner cable the outer jacket is stationary.

I reread your op the drive is frozen in forward?

And your able to start the engine ?

With the lower cable disconnected from the converter, does the throttle now move freely forward and reverse ?

There are reasons i am asking you these questions.
 
Last edited:
First of all thanks for your help so far,I have disconnected the bottom cable from the shift converter and the and that mechanism moves freely.However the bottom cable that enters the leg by the pivot support bracket is solid,I have unscrewed the top of the the cable so I can see the cable inside the outer jacket and have been spraying wd40 down it to see if the will release the cable inside.So far it still wont move.As for starting the engine the micro switch inside the throttle housing has been bypassed for the moment as it is faulty and would not let me start the engine when the throttle was moved to any position.As I mentioned before this did work when I first had the boat but it has been standing for some time as we had problems with the engine ,which i am glad to say now starts and runs smoothly.I have checked the oil levels in the leg and they are full so I really dont understand why it wont move.I would however change the oil when I get it working properly.I still wonder if the bottom cable has jammed in the outer jacket,thanks once again and I hope this is of some help.
 
I think it is frozen in forward. I cannot move the shift lever. The engine starts and the prop rotates. I have to look into the situation more due, I cannot see how the cable connects at the drive end. Please let me knoiw if there is a way to disconnect the cable at the drive end.

Mike

It has to move if your going into forward.

You don't move the outer jacket just the inner cable the outer jacket is stationary.

I reread your op the drive is frozen in forward?

And your able to start the engine ?

With the lower cable disconnected from the converter, does the throttle now move freely forward and reverse ?

There are reasons i am asking you these questions.[/QUOTE]
 
The shifter will not move. The engine starts and the prop rotates. If I diconnet near the engine I can adjust the RPM with the shifter. I cannot get the inner cable to move. I cannot see...Is there a way to diconnect the cable at the drive unit?
 
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