new guy here, advice please.

[dr_jeep85]

hello all, i've got a 1979 204c overnighter. had it for a little over three years now and love it. i live in the cattanooga, tn area so most of my boating is spnt family-style. cruising, swimming, etc.... although i have had the opportunity to get her into the salt a few times.

on a side note, i took her out this weekend and the shifter cable crapped out on me (no reverse). i've searched without much success on this topic. just wondering of anyone has replaced the control cables and what recomendatins you might have on brand of cables, length, etc. i've done a rough measurement and the closest i can get is 18 feet. any help would be appreciated.
thanks, dale

 

[cdwood]

18 is probably about right. Check existing cables, numbers may be on there. or remove cable and measure it. Personally I would stay with OEM cables.

Your sure the cable is the problem?

 

[dr_jeep85]

yes, i'm sure. when i pull the throttle into everse, the engine will rev and i can hear the gearbox clicking a little. i had someone shift it into reverseand i pushed on the cable and viola, it took reverse. the cables are in really bad shape anyway. i'm going to replace both the shifter and the throttle cables. thanks for the info. i did find numbers on the cable, they read: l 20 l TC8. i would assume that it's a 20 foot cable but i don't know what the other numbers indicate.

 

[Parthery]

You live in some beautiful boating country. We used to have a family lake house at Watts Bar, and a number of us from the ATL have come up and made the trip through the "Grand Canyon of the South"... We may make the trip again later in the summer.

Call GW cust service at 252-752-2211. They will tell you the exact length you need. Then its a matter of deciding whether its a do it yourself job...

 

[cdwood]

Do yourself a favor and remove the cable and replace with exact duplicate.
Otherwise complications may arise that will cost you alot of time.

 

[njdan]

Not sure if the cable is your problem. I had the same problem. I replaced cables and it still did it. I was told it may be shift dog. That was my problem.Your situation may be different. Good luck. Dan

 

[gw204]

Tie a piece of long heavy line (like clothes line) to the end of the cable and pull it out of the rigging tube. Measure it and order a new one. When the new one comes, tie the line to the end of it and pull it through the tube.

I like the Teleflex Xtreme cables....or whatever they're called. The were silky smooth on my old Sailfish.

 

[seabob4]

Teleflex XTreme's are the way to go. And, yes, your cables are 20 footers...

 

[DB]

It could have nothing to do with cables...it could be the shift shaft in the motor...clutch dogs...many things...sorry

 

[uncljohn]

happened to me a few years back on my carb'd Yamaha 200. Reverse would not engage but would rev fine, would go forward fine.

It was the shift shaft. On Yamaha's they were not stainless steel before 1992 (I think), so it will fail eventually. I opted to re-power rather than invest that kind of $ in a 20 y.o. engine.