OMC Cobra Shift cable adjustment help needed?

Question

I have an '87 21' Bayliner with a 5.0 and cobra out drive. I replaced the cable from the motor to the out drive. I have tried adjusting it several times (at the motor), shifts great with the engine off, but with the engine running, there is no smooth transition forward, and really cannot shift into reverse at all. any ideas would be a great help.. if I left anything out please e-mail me @ [e-mail]

thank you very much for your help.....

Answer 1

check the shift interuption switch

Answer 2

OK

This is a VERY complex procedure to try to explain by email so I’d suggest buying owners manual and following the procedure there.

BUT

Lets see if we can get you going. Bear with me.

The apparatus that the cable mounts to is called the “shift plate”. The arm that moves on the shift plate is the “actuator arm”. The actuator arm is also connected to the “rocker”. This is the mechanism that rocks back + forth when the drive is shifted. It can be identified by the “V” shaped notch with an electric switch with a wheel mounted on it contacting the center of the V notch.

To start you want to take the cable out of the shift plate. Then move the actuator arm into a position where the slot in the actuator arm, where the cable connects, is at a 90-deg angle to the top of the engine (strait up and down). Now you need shift the drive into forward. Have someone rotate the prop for you while you do this so the clutch fully engages. Once the drive is in forward and the actuator arm is strait up and down you need to adjust the trunion (anchor point) of the shift cable so it fits and attach it to the shift plate and actuator arm at the lowest end of the slotted hole on the arm. When this is hooked up the electric switch with the wheel should be centered in the “V” notch of the rocker. (This ensures there is no tension on the shift cable”.

Now. Without moving the arm, if you look at the base of the actuator arm you will see a stainless steel cam mounted to a channel with a nut near an electric switch. Take the cam loose and move it until it is centered on the electrical switch. That should lock forward gear in place.

Now. With the cable hooked to the shift plate us the shifter at the helm to put the drive in reverse. Just like forward; have someone turn the prop for you while you do this. If you don’t engage reverse properly you need to take the cable connector loose at the top of the shift actuator and start sliding it up the mounting slot. As you will se this will change the length of the reverse shift throw without altering your forward shift adjustment.

I know this sounds kinda hard to understand + bear in mind that this assumes all the shift updates were done to your unit and that everything is in working order.

Don’t become to disheartened if you can’t get it. I know qualified techs that fight trying to adjust some Cobras. Just take it in to a shop and have t done there.