Edson Throttle Cable

[wufibugs]

86 Hunter 31. The throttle cable seems to have broken somewhere as there is no throttle control from the helm. The problem does not seem to be at the engine, so I am assuming it is the cable. Took a look at various sites with instructions on replacing the cable and it only seems to be a very bad dream as opposed to a complete nightmare. Remove compass, to gain access to where the cable attaches to the lever.

Does anyone have the specs on the cable, an equivalent replacement part number and a source, or an OEM part number? Any hints from someone who has done this job will be zealously studied and greatly appreciated.

 

[Steve Dion]

Be sure that the cable housing has not come loose from the bracket that holds the housing inside the pedestal. If the housing move when you throttle up this may appear as a broken cable.

 

[wufibugs]

I noted in the Edson instructions that the cable bracket can be tightened from the outside of the pedestal on the later models. I did not check this before I left the boat this afternoon. Did not notice any screws on the outside of the pedestal. If not, then this would have be checked with the compass removed.

 

[RAD]

It is a standard cable available at most marine stores including West Marine and it is a nightmare cause you need to have loooong skinny fingers to get at the clips at the handle after you loosen the cable clamp screw that is on the outside.......mine is in the center about half way up from the floor and what you have to do is just loosen the cable clamp don't remove the screw and that will allow slack to push the cable up so you can get your fingers on the clip that holds the cable to the throttle lever.....also I don't remember but you might need to loosen the steering cable so the chain can be picked up and moved out of the way

 

[Steve Dion]

I think your '86 Hunter has a Y/S Merriman pedestal.

You can purchase cables from most any boat shop.

 

[kloudie1]

Wufibugs, Richard, I have a PDF of the Merriman book.. If you'd like a copy shoot me an email from the Home page of this site. It shows the clamps and talks about mounting the cables.. Pretty sure (unless replaced) that thel pedistal is a Merriman, like Steve says..

 

[Scott]

As per the last two replies, your pedestal is a merriman. You must remove the compass. It does not provide access to tp the cable clamp, but you can at least see it. When we replaced our throttle cable, had to dremel a rectangular hole just beneath and aft of the compass housing "bulb" ~1-1/2" x 5" to access the clamp. There is a screw on the aft side securing the cable. Be very, very careful not loosen the clamp securing the cable too much. When you have gotten that far, use the old cable as a messenger and install the new cable. Just take it slow and careful.

 

[wufibugs]

Throttle Cable Update

All are correct. It is a Merriman. Fior some reason the Fuel Leg [Y321-0091] was removed or never installed. This probably won't be clear, but I'll try to explain. The cable clamp did not loosen. As a result of the absence of the leg and lack of lubrication, the outter section of the cable just above the clamp parted [I'm not sure how they are held together. Are they crimped?]. Instead of the inner cable slidiing inside the cable jacket, the section above the clamp would move. Since the inner cable was not stiff enough to overcome the resistance from lack of lubrication, and the outer sections had come apart, the inner cable just bent when the lever was pushed where it had no jacket to provide stiffness.

Search is on for the lever. Are these parts still available?? Not sure if I will have to replace the cable once the lever is installed.

Note: The spot where the cable clamp screws are on the pedestal is covered by the bands holding my Navico WP 100 autopilot. If I remove it, I assume I would have to have it re-alligned.

Positive note is that I see that someone attempted to add a little extra wire for the compass by just twiisting them together and using paint on insulation. Horrifying. I may try to wire a 12v plug or two iinto the pedestal now that it's open to power my depth, gps and whatever. There is one in the ignition panel, but that puts wiring all over the cockpit.

 

[wufibugs]

Here's a picture of the fuel legs. The leg/cable on the right controls the transmission. The leg/cable on the left controls the throttle. This is not a picture of my cable. The red arrow indicates some kind of fiitting (?) that holds the upper tube and lower tube together. Mine does not have that fitting, or it broke off. This allows the upper tube to separate from the lower tube held in place by the leg. When the throttle lever is pressed, the inner cable AND the upper tube elevate, exposing the inner cable at the arrow. When you try to return the throttle, the inner cable does not return into the lower tube, it just bends. Any ideas on how to make a replacement for the fitting or make sure the lower and upper tubes stay together so only the inner cable moves? Replacing the cable is, of course, a reliable allbeit ugly option.

 

[beachcombers]

Here's a picture of the fuel legs. The leg/cable on the right controls the transmission. The leg/cable on the left controls the throttle. This is not a picture of my cable. The red arrow indicates some kind of fiitting (?) that holds the upper tube and lower tube together. Mine does not have that fitting, or it broke off. This allows the upper tube to separate from the lower tube held in place by the leg. When the throttle lever is pressed, the inner cable AND the upper tube elevate, exposing the inner cable at the arrow. When you try to return the throttle, the inner cable does not return into the lower tube, it just bends. Any ideas on how to make a replacement for the fitting or make sure the lower and upper tubes stay together so only the inner cable moves? Replacing the cable is, of course, a reliable allbeit ugly option.

Richard: Just read your post from the 23rd..My Hunter 31 1984 has only the shift leg in the pedestal. The new cable has a long stainless steel shaft that once the cable is locked in the pedestal clamp stays nice and rigid with no binding. Until I read your post I did not know what the leg on the shift lever was. If you take off all of the add on sections under the compass you can get a good shot at the clamp with PT Blaster. That did the trick for me.

 

[wufibugs]

So I wonder if Hunter or Merriman did away with the throttle leg and substituted the clamp arrangement instead? The Merriman manual says the throttle leg is only used with the forward moving throttle lever. Yet the leg is used on the shift cable, which is both forward and backward. Oh well, since I now have a throttle leg, I will probably use both clamp and leg