cfo20

Late yesterday my shift cable going from the gaffrig shifter to the mounting plate mechanism on top of the engine (which connects to the shift cable going to the outdrive) broke right at the point where it mounts to the top of the engine.

If I hold the cable tight at the mounting plate on top of the engine, I can have someone else shift, so I am not sure to the extent of the break. However, I need to fix it and I have some questions.

First, how difficult is it to replace? I think it is pretty straightforward but I don't want to get in over my head.

Second, what cable do I use? I called velocity and they told me to get a Uflex CO17 from West Marine, however West Marine only has Teleflex not Uflex.

The cable I am guessing is around 17 feet and has a red outer protective coating. Forgive me for the calling it a "mounting plate on top of the enigne"...I don't know what it is really called?

Thanks anyone for your help.

Velocity Vector

iTrader: (4)

They aren't hard to change you can do it. Just try to get the same type / length cable. Can you tell what broke the other one? age, got in a bind?

Call west mar. and have them cross refrence the Uflex CO17 to get the right one.

cfo20

Thanks for the info VV. I have been reading about changing it on the net and you are right, it will be simple. Recalling what I saw when I examined it after the break, it is the Teleflex 33C Supreme Cable with the red jacket. I will check it out more thoroughly soon enough to confirm. I found a number of vendors on the net with this cable, not bad prices.

I think it just broke from age. 1999 boat with just over 200 hours on it, of which ~40 are from me as the second owner, so I assume that this particular cable has never been changed.

It has always been difficult to shift out of neutral, going forward or reverse, I just never thought about it that much. Could have been this cable or maybe it is the other cable going to the outdrive that is making it difficult?

cfo20

Ok, everyone can point their finger at me and laugh now...

I went out to the marina yesterday to get the exact part numbers ect. off the cables. After better examination, the problem was with the shift cable going to the outdrive, not the cable going to the shifter, but wait, it gets better.

None of the cables were broken. The long threaded portion of the cable on the shift plate going to the outdrive had just come loose along with the locking nut! I tightened everything down, took it for a test run with multiple shifts F-N-R and no problems.

However, the shifter is still hard to shift into reverse. Is there an adjustment that can be made or is this a sign of a cable going bad?