Stiff Controls

[BigTerp]

Had a cam tooth break off in my NOS OMC control box over the weekend causing the throttle cam to jump a "gear" and my controls to lock up. Tore the control box apart and got it back together, but can't go into reverse without it locking up again. This control box is new old stock and has maybe 4 hours on it. It has been rather stiff from the get go going from netural to forward and neutral to reverse. I'm thinking my cables are stiff/bad. Only reason I can think of that a cam tooth would break so soon on a "new" control box. This is the first remote outboard I've ever used, so I'm not sure how easily the lever should operate. How can I test my cables to see if they are to stiff or even bad and need replaced? Might try to lube them up using the houseboat cable lube tool.

https://www.all-about-houseboats.com/houseboat-control-cables-how-to-lubricate-or-save-a-throttle-shift-cable.html

Any other ideas besides buying new cables? We were quite a few miles up river when this happened, so I'll buy new cables if I have to to prevent me from getting stuck on the river. Just looking for other options first.

Here is what broke. It was the first tooth.

Here is the cam that I now need to replace

 

[BigTerp]

Was thinking if I disconnect the cables from my control box, and the lever moves much more freely, then it's definitely a cable issue?

 

[JMichael]

You might want to try disconnecting the cables from both ends and see how easy they slide with no load.

 

[BigTerp]

JMichael » 57 minutes ago[/url]"]You might want to try disconnecting the cables from both ends and see how easy they slide with no load.

Thanks. I guess that'll tell me if the cables are binded up/stiff or not?

 

[Lowe 2070 CC]

Cables!

They might slide relatively easy, but it doesn't take much bind for your control box. I've done the exact same thing and new cables is the answer.

 

[BigTerp]

It was definitely a bad cable. I tore apart my contorl box last night and unhooked my cables from the box and the motor. Throttle cable is nice and smooth. Gate cable is super stiff and difficult to slide in and out. Amazing how much smoother my control lever is without the bad cable attached. No more grinding/gritty feel to it as well. I have an extra set of cables that I'll check out to see if they are any good. Hopefully at least one of them is ok and I can just swap it out for the bad one.