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New Drive gears, lower cable, esa unit, now motor stumbles going into gear sometimes

briantb

New member
88 cobra outdrive, just replaced Drive gears, lower cable, esa unit but now the Motor Stumbles sometimes going into gear.....kinda acts like the esa is coming on a bit too long, had it out yesterday for the first time after repairs, taking off it takes a few times putting it in gear before the Motor will start pulling, sometimes stumbles and dies.....I know it might sound like a carb issue but its not,

is there and adjustment for the esa..?

the shop that did the work wont open back up till Wed, but if its a simple adjustment i can do it myself

edit..just remembered sometimes wont come out of reverse unless i pop it into forward a bit, now thinking about it, this is probably the issue and needs adjusted

Thanks in advance
 
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you need the cable adjusted by someone who can follow the factory manual word for word. If misadjusted you are risking a lower unit failure.
 
88 bayliner OMC I/O. my shift cable was adjusted last year. Still does not seem to be correct. As I put it into gear it will idle forward just fine. When I try to take off or pull up a skier it "bogged down"/didn't accelerate after i put it into gear. If I pull back on the throttle the engine will recover. Once I can slowly take off past just an idle, then it is fine. Is there an adjustment for this?
 
Electronic Shift Assist. It is a black plastic box-looking thing with some wires coming out of it. Its function is to make the engine stumble at idle so as to lower RPMs and make shifting easier. When you move the shift lever, it rocks a bell crank which whacks a micro switch (the interrupter switch) which opens the ESA circuit. It blips the voltage that is going to the distributor, making the engine run slowly but not so slow it dies.
 
Separating Dog Clutch teeth (while under the load of the propeller thrust) is what needs to be over-come.
At idle and while in gear....... the propeller is pulling torque from the engine.
This torque/thrust is placed against the Dog Clutch engagement teeth.... and by design, they will not release while under load.
As said...... the ESA system is what achieves this release by reducing the thrust momentarily.

obatsea is correct..... "When you move the shift lever, it rocks a bell crank which whacks a micro switch (the interrupter switch)..... It blips the voltage that is going to the distributor, making the engine run slowly but not so slow it dies."




It's the resistance felt at the outer jacket of the lower shift cable that operates the cam level affair, which in turn momentarily operates this interrupter micro switch.

I believe that the micro switch actually closes this circuit as to stumble the ignition via the - side of the coil, and in turn lowers engine RPM.
The over-stroke switch opens the circuit bringing it back alive again when the shift is completed.




Your final adjustment must be made while the boat is in the water.
No prop thrust.... no correct adjustment.



.
 
Thank you
shifting in and out of gear does work. Howerver, it is when I want to accelerate that the boat "dogs" down. i ahve to move the accelerator little by little and it then take off. seems like it is thinking it needs to be bogged down like something is still saying to the engine, don't go...
ideas?




Separating Dog Clutch teeth (while under the load of the propeller thrust) is what needs to be over-come.
At idle and while in gear....... the propeller is pulling torque from the engine.
This torque/thrust is placed against the Dog Clutch engagement teeth.... and by design, they will not release while under load.
As said...... the ESA system is what achieves this release by reducing the thrust momentarily.

obatsea is correct..... "When you move the shift lever, it rocks a bell crank which whacks a micro switch (the interrupter switch)..... It blips the voltage that is going to the distributor, making the engine run slowly but not so slow it dies."




It's the resistance felt at the outer jacket of the lower shift cable that operates the cam level affair, which in turn momentarily operates this interrupter micro switch.

I believe that the micro switch actually closes this circuit as to stumble the ignition via the - side of the coil, and in turn lowers engine RPM.
The over-stroke switch opens the circuit bringing it back alive again when the shift is completed.




Your final adjustment must be made while the boat is in the water.
No prop thrust.... no correct adjustment.



.
 
Thank you
shifting in and out of gear does work. Howerver, it is when I want to accelerate that the boat "dogs" down. i ahve to move the accelerator little by little and it then take off. seems like it is thinking it needs to be bogged down like something is still saying to the engine, don't go...
ideas?
John, it would be best to start a new thread for your issue.

Long as we're here.... if this is unlated to the ESA or ignition, you'll want to understand carburetion and what occurs when the primary throttle plates leave the low speed circuits, and enter the high speed fuel metering circuits.

Perhaps start a new thread.... and we can take it from there.


.
 
They're all right, adjustment needs to be dead on or you risk outboard drive carnage. Since the problem is momentary, and while trying to accelerate, it seems to me that the bellcrank is being activated when it shouldn't. The bellcrank in that picture should only move while going into and coming out of gear. Not while accelerating or decelerating. If this is happening, there's a misadjustment issue. Mine was doing this and it was the top cable that lead into the outboard that was misadjusted.

Another issue is that the override switch isn't activating, adjusted properly, or not working altogether. After going into gear, the bellcrank hits the first switch that momentarily stalls the engine. Then the override switch is triggered to disrupt this and bring the engine back to life. (In the photo RicardoMarine posted, this is the top micro switch. You'll see two cams bolted to the bellcrank on the right that can be adjusted to trigger this switch once in gear.)
 
They're all right, adjustment needs to be dead on or you risk outboard drive carnage. Since the problem is momentary, and while trying to accelerate, it seems to me that the bellcrank is being activated when it shouldn't. The bellcrank in that picture should only move while going into and coming out of gear. Not while accelerating or decelerating. If this is happening, there's a misadjustment issue. Mine was doing this and it was the top cable that lead into the outboard that was misadjusted.

Another issue is that the override switch isn't activating, adjusted properly, or not working altogether. After going into gear, the bellcrank hits the first switch that momentarily stalls the engine. Then the override switch is triggered to disrupt this and bring the engine back to life. (In the photo RicardoMarine posted, this is the top micro switch. You'll see two cams bolted to the bellcrank on the right that can be adjusted to trigger this switch once in gear.)

this is exactly what mine is doing, the only time its in the V is at neutral....they had it adjusted so that it was working off the override switch only, its back at the shop that did the work, hopefully its right when i get it back
 
Is this information common and well understood by typical shop mechanics? Am i best looking for another shop to have it repaired or stick with the same person who has replaced one of the cables and adjusted it once already?
How often should this need adjustments? yearly? every 5 years? only when a cable is replaced? Possibly my expectations are wrong.
thank you.
 
Is this information common and well understood by typical shop mechanics? Am i best looking for another shop to have it repaired or stick with the same person who has replaced one of the cables and adjusted it once already?
How often should this need adjustments? yearly? every 5 years? only when a cable is replaced? Possibly my expectations are wrong.
thank you.

John , Please start your own thread so people don't get confused with our questions....thanks
 
someone has posted a link somewhere with how to adjust the shift cables from the old factory manual. I believe it's hyatt? I can't remember, but I have it saved. It's too large to post so if you want it you can email me and I'll send it to you. Someone has recommended giving this to the mechanics in the shop; not every shop knows the correct procedures.

[email protected]

This shifting adjustment only needs done when replacing components to the shifting mechanism. This includes the outboard, cables, throttle lever, etc. If just removing/reinstalling the outboard, you should not have to readjust this.
 
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