87 omc hard shifting...especially reverse.

[Tony Fagan]

Please help if you can..this boat is driving me crazy! So it's almost impossible to get in reverse. I've eliminated the throttle and throttle cables by disconnecting it at the motor bracket. It's only when the shifter cable is connected. So..bad cable? Bad ESA? Sometimes it shifts just ok...usually when first on the lake.

 

[Tony Fagan]

Update..disconnected shift cable at upper bracket , and with engine running attempted to shift into forward and reverse manually.It was difficult...had to use a pair of vise grips to push and pull the cable. Engine was running at normal idle. It shouldn't be that hard to get into gear...should it???

 

[louc]

Nope you probably need a new transom shift cable. A properly adjusted Cobra with a good shift cable shifts very easy. 2 finger pressure on the control in and out.