Part 4. OMC Cobra shift cable adjustment, diagnosis, common failures & remedies.

[@cjaraza]

I learned a lot from your video and thank you for sharing. I have this problem to my boat and will definitely try this adjustment.

[@stevejohnson29]

Thanks for the compliment. Hope it helps.

[@lucaswickes5842]

Thank you so much for the video. Ive been searching for a coouple years on how to make some kind of adjustment. Before I do make an adjustment I wanted to run by the issue I'm having with you. The issue is when shifting into reverse. If i put it into reverse at idle it shifts fine and the ESA works as it should. The moment i try to give it gas or throttle when in reverse the ESA engages again thus trying to kill the engine. But as soon as I go to Reverse idle it works fine. So i can go into reverse, but i can only go very slow in reverse.

[@ghostnewedge4083]

Same issue but In forward PLEASE HELP

[@NaNa-ug1ej]

​. Figure it out?

[@stevejohnson29]

Sounds like the ESA isn’t adjusted properly. You’ll notice that the ESA switch only engages when force is applied to the throttle. I’d lubricate everything 1st to make sure there’s no binding in the linkages with WD40. If that doesn’t help. Do a search for Michael Romer. He has a pretty good video on the ESA adjustment. I haven’t done one yet but might this summer when I pull the boat out again to use it.

[@stevejohnson29]

As I replied above. Sounds like the ESA isn’t adjusted properly. You’ll notice that the ESA switch only engages when force is applied to the throttle. I’d lubricate everything 1st to make sure there’s no binding in the linkages with WD40. If that doesn’t help. Do a search for Michael Romer. He has a pretty good video on the ESA adjustment. I haven’t done one yet but might this summer when I pull the boat out again to use it.

[@Canuckster1169]

nice explanation of the cables and their adjustments, thanks

[@marcopoelli7806]

Thanks. Hope it helps you.

[@1hussamann]

Hello Steve, you used a template for your setting... I have an Omc Cobra 3.0 and the setting is totally wrong. the engine continues to rev when shifting because the slider is not pressing properly on the throttle. Maybe you can please help me where can I get this stencil. I come from Germany... best regards Sven

[@stevejohnson29]

What do you mean by “stencil”? Do you mean the adjustment tools? You can buy them on EBay. Here a link for the two you need to set the cable up. www.ebay.com/itm/193420192606

[@jakeperet3629]

Would these issues also cause it to not go into neutral? I have the same set up but can not switch gears if I am in forward I can not go back to neutral or reverse unless I turn the motor off then it drops right in. Thanks for the help and info

[@marcalex6050]

I have the same problem let me know how you fixed it

[@rosseowens]

This is caused by too high rpms or shift cable adjustment being off and the interrupter not being triggered . RPMs should be 550-600 you should hear the engine studder if not your cable my be stretched.

[@stevejohnson29]

The adjustment usually affects going into forward or reverse. Usually not getting out of gear. If you’re unable to shift when the engine is running. Either your engine RPM’s are too high. Or the ESA (engine stutterbox) isn’t making the engine stutter to cause disengagement (or both). You need low rpms & engine stuttering to disengage the drive. Now. If both your rpms are low (550-600 rpm) and the stutter box (ESA) is working, then something is wrong in the drive itself. You may need to remove it. Separate the upper from the lower case. And remove the output shaft retainer & replace the clutch dog for the updated one. Watch my other videos on this. I show you the updated parts.

[@stevejohnson29]

As I told the fella above. The adjustment usually affects going into forward or reverse. Usually not getting out of gear. If you’re unable to shift when the engine is running. Either your engine RPM’s are too high. Or the ESA (engine stutterbox) isn’t making the engine stutter to cause disengagement (or both). You need low rpms & engine stuttering to disengage the drive. Now. If both your rpms are low (550-600 rpm) and the stutter box (ESA) is working, then something is wrong in the drive itself. You may need to remove it. Separate the upper from the lower case. And remove the output shaft retainer & replace the clutch dog for the updated one. Watch my other videos on this. I show you the updated parts.

[@jandjmca]

What gear should the gear selector be in when setting gauge length to the 6.5 neutral or reverse????

[@rexracer4591]

It should be in neutral.

[@super07man2002]

If we don't have that tool. What's the measurements for top and bottom in inches or what not

[@stevejohnson29]

Don’t know. The tool is cheap. I’d recommend you buy one. There’s one piece that goes to hold the pivot with the outdrive off. And the other goes on the cable end. $40 on Amazon. Here’s the link. www.amazon.com/SpeedFreakCNC-Sterndrive-Alignment-915271-914017/dp/B07B6WGGBT?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A1XBWOSDXOCEUO

[@stevejohnson29]

Here’s an even cheaper tool on eBay. I’ve seen em as cheap as $11 for the pair. www.ebay.com/itm/193420192606

[@TheRealKRUE]

I just had work done, this cable was replaced. Now I have water coming out of where this cable meets the stern. Any ideas why that would be?

[@BryanGarcia-sh1sw]

I Haven’t tried this yet but before I do is this why my boat shuts off when I place it in Gear .

[@marcopoelli7806]

Could be anything. Do you have an OMC outdrive? You need 2 things for the engine to run, fuel & spark. If the engine is suddenly shutting off like that, it’s most likely losing spark. The ESA switch may be maladjusted. You can simply unplug the ESA module and see if it stops dying going into gear. If it does stop dying, you’ve probably got a maladjusted ESA switch. Or. The outdrive is locked up. Take a video of it and post a link here.

[@jakeperet3629]

I have been having the same issue with mine shutting off when I first put it in gear once the boat is warmed up the issue goes away rebuilt the carburetor and the issue seemed to not be as bad

[@stevejohnson29]

Well. This video is mostly about adjusting the cable to get into gear properly. If your engine is dying going into gear, I’d verify 1st if you have an OMC Cobra. Because Mercurys or Volvos work differently. Adjust your idle speed to 550-600 rpm. Make sure your idle mixture is adjusted properly. If you think the stutter box is the issue, then just unplug it. If it’s now staying on, you might have a stutter box (ESA module) that is just stalling the engine rather than just making it stutter. If it’s still dying, make sure the Carburator isn’t dripping from the Venturi clusters. Don’t forget this setup gas points in the distributor. Make sure your points are still good. And that the dwell is adjusted properly. Also. Make sure your ignition timing is where it’s supposed to be.

[@AlainAudette]

bayliner 2650 1989 i'm having a problem shifting from forward to reverse. It takes a few seconds before I can shift. Does anyone have any idea. Thank you

[@storm_merle_]

I have 95 fourwinns omc cobra 5.0 mine goes on forward gear but issue is it goes on reverse but sometimes doesn't like just revs witch cable do i adjust to fix this issue

[@stevejohnson29]

You need to watch all four videos. If you still have questions then ask me again.

[@StreetDrive64]

Hey Steve, what part of the world are you in?

[@marcopoelli7806]

Los Angeles California

[@MrAirsoft0917]

Hi, I have an 1989 omc cobra 5.7L ford block with the omc cobra outdrive and some day it shifts perfectly and other days when I’m shifting coming into the dock after going for a spin it tends to get stuck in forwards gear. It takes so much pulling power to get it out of fowards that it skips over neutral and goes into reverse. This happens periodically like I said but I’m not sure if it’s the shifting cable/ or adjustment or if it’s the engine not having low enough rpm’s to shift and it’s very frustrating to figure out. Hoping you have some insight!

[@geo2937]

I'm having the same problem myself.

[@stevejohnson29]

Yeah. 1st thing is your engine rpm’s. It MUST be set to 550-600 rpm’s max. You’ll need an accurate digital or analog rpm meter to verify this. Most digital timing lights also have rpm meters built into them. With the engine off, slide the cable off like I do in this video. You should be able to slip the shifter forward & backwards easily from the controls at the steering wheel. If that isn’t binding, then your cable from your controls to the engine is ok. Then take the cable that goes from the engine to the outdrive & see if you can easily shift it from forward to neutral, and neutral to reverse. You might need someone outside to spin the prop by hand to verify this. Or. You could always start the engine on the trailer & hook water to it & test it that way. If you don’t see any difficulties with shifting, I don’t know what to tell you. If you’re mechanically inclined, pull the outdrive off and inspect the fulcrum (bellcrank) at the outdrive transom mount. Watch all my videos on the system. If nothing looks bad, then your problem might be in the unit itself. They make an updated clutch dog that allows for easier engagement, but usually has nothing to do with disengagement. Hope this helps.

[@MrAirsoft0917]

Thank you for the help. It ended up being the rpm’s not being at 550. I tightened the throttle cable as much as I could on the carb and this fixed the problem. Do you have a video on replacing a throttle cable? I think one of my issues was from pulling on the controls too hard and stretching out the cable as a result when I went to shift the cable was pushing on the throttle just a tad and keeping the rpms at 800-900

[@stevejohnson29]

Yeah. Like I said. The rpm’s need to be low for the thing to shift out of fwd or rev. The updated clutch dogs help with engagement. Many times the Carburator will drip fuel off the clusters & cause the engine to idle erratically. Set your carbs idle mixture properly and get that thing to idle low. The lower the better. The throttle cable replacement is straightforward. Just buy a new one & swap it out. Usually it’s not the cable that stretches. It’s usually the shifter gets play in it. Which means replacing the shifter. There should be no play whatsoever when you try going back & forward. As soon as you move the controls the cable should move. If it doesn’t, it’s probably the shifter itself.

[@Ryan-gf7iw]

I cannot get mine to stay in neutral when I want to give it some throttle to start the engine. Is this due to a potential cable adjustment or would this be purely mechanical in side the throttle/shifter unit itself?

[@marcopoelli7806]

Most likely either due to the shift cable adjustment or the shifter. The outdrive needs to be in the neural position for the shifter to slide outward & disengage outdrive & allow RPM to increase separate from outdrive engagement. I would take the outdrive shift cable off the pivot assembly where the Carb is and see if you can operate the throttle properly. Put the shifter back into the neutral position. And then with your hands, feel if the outdrive is in the neutral position by pushing the cable by hand in & out of reverse & forward. Find the center position. Then see if you can just skip the cable on without having to make any adjustments. If it doesn’t just slip on easily, you’ll need to go through the whole adjustment

[@09mxrider]

Isn't it supposed to be 6 inches

[@jmdarling76]

I watched this video series and am hoping you can point me in the right direction. I would like to get an idea to see how deep I need to go before I pull mine apart next weekend. My issue is the linkage feels a bit tight and hard to get into forward or reverse. When I disconnect the cable to the out drive the shifter shifts smoothly. Biggest issue is when trying to dock and going into reverse it will shut down the motor because of how hard and tight it is, I assume its the shut off switch. On top of that it then will not start for about 10-20 minutes, I am also assuming on this note too that it is vapor locking and once the lock is relieved it will fire right up. Any advice will help, thanks.

[@stevejohnson29]

So. It sounds like your shift cable from the fulcrum assembly (where I disconnected the shift cable at in the video) to the outdrive is binding. If you’re removing the shift cable from the fulcrum assembly & your shifter isn’t binding anymore, I’d say your problem is in the cable or possibly in the outdrive itself. If you remove the shift cable from the fulcrum assembly like you see me do in the video...you should be able to shift the outdrive into forward & reverse by hand. Have an assistant help you by turning the prop by hand & try pushing the cable the cable back & forth by hand with the engine off to see how easy it is to get into forward or reverse. It should go into & out of gear with very little effort. How long has it been since you’ve had the outdrive off to check the cable, i joints, bellows & stuff? If it’s been years, you might just want to pull the unit off & check things. It’s pretty easy to remove. You don’t even have to drain the oil if you’re not going to open up your unit. Just remove the prop, detach the trim rams from the unit & the 6 bolts that hold it on. Make sure to get the two tools you’ll need to check & set your shift cable once off. Many times what you’ll find is that water has gotten into the shift fulcrum pivot area where the outdrive meets the stern mount. The shift cable will be buried in corrosion & will need to be replaced. Watch my other videos in regards to that fulcrum pivot there, because the rivet in the pivot is notorious for coming loose, cause play in the system & thus shifting problems. Now. In regards to your dying problem. Did you try to disconnect your ESA module when the problem happens? When you do this, it would eliminate the ESA being the problem. The ESA uses the switches in the shifter fulcrum on the motor to slow the engine down during shift engagements. It essentially makes the engine misfire to get it to lower the eng rpms & to shift properly. Since your cable might be binding, the ESA may be staying activated causing you not to be able to restart. Because vapor lock is usually never a thing on a boat since the engines are cooled by lake or ocean water. Is the engine overheating? Vapor lock is when the fuel boils either in the fuel line or the carb bowl. What kind of engine/carb combo are you running? When the engine dies, you should look down the throat of the carb to make sure fuel isn’t dripping off the Venturi clusters. If it is, you’ve probably got a high float level, excess fuel pressure, or the carb needs a good rebuild which includes a good soaking of the carb in a carb dip solution. You might have a bunch of fuel deposits in the emulsion tubes of the carb which will cause the carb to drip off the Venturi clusters while running. The best time to diagnose the start up problem is when it’s happening. Bring tools with you to the lake or ocean & check a few things. #1, I’d install an in-line fuel pressure gauge so you know your fuel pressure isn’t going over 7psi. #2, I’d check to see if you have good spark by removing the coil wire at the distributor & have someone crank the motor over & ck for steady spark coming out the coil. There are two basic things you need for a motor to run, fuel & spark. You can have too much fuel, or not enough. If you think you’re truly vapor locking, that would mean the carb is flooding the motor with too much fuel. Because that’s what vapor locking does. The fuel boils out of the carb & gets into the motor unregulated. Usually if it truly is vapor lock. Cracking the fuel line to the carb would have fuel shooting out of the line because of the fuel percolating. If that’s not happening, or you don’t see fuel percolating off the venturis while looking down the throat of the carb with the engine off, you don’t have vapor lock. Agsin. The best time to diagnose this is when it’s happening. I would 1st try what called “clear flood mode”. When it dies, take your shifter & pull the shifter out like you’re trying to remove the arm, it should pop out towards you so you can operate only the carb throttle without the shifter trying to shift the boat into drive or reverse. That way you can open the carb fully (wide open throttle). While holding the carb at wide open throttle, you should be able to get a vapor locked motor to restart in what we call a “clear flood mode”. If it’s truly vapor locked, you’ll see a bunch of black smoke & smell the thing running really rich mixture wise. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@gherickb8181]

Brother please help my boat keep braking the freaking cable I don’t know what else to do

[@stevejohnson29]

You actually BREAK the shift cable going from your outdrive to the shift fulcrum on the engine? How many times has this happened? I know people who have the same shifter cable for years. Sometimes decades. If the tungsten is literally breaking time after time, I’d be questioning the parts quality you’re getting for one. Always try to use a factory part or from a reputable vendor like GLM or somebody. I know Wayne Koll over at TC Marine & Electronics in Canada has the factory cables. If you’re in the USA, he might be able to refer you to a place closer to you. I’d also be looking at things that are causing your cable to bind. Either from the pivot fulcrum on the engine going to the outdrive. Or the problem is in the outdrive itself. If you’re breaking cables, I would assume this thing is hard to shift from reverse to neutral. Also. Are you breaking the cable going to the outdrive? Or the cable going from the shifter to the engine?

[@gherickb8181]

Shifter to engine 4 times is like ok they put it on I go to lake to try pum 💥 again

[@gherickb8181]

And I think is good quality I buy in west marine !!

[@stevejohnson29]

Then there’s something way wrong there. Sounds like the shifter cable from the shifter to the engine is binding somewhere. If west marine is putting them in, keep taking it back & demand they fix it correctly. The only thing that’s going to break a cable 99% of the time is mis installation.