Passage 42 shift lever

[berner73]

I had the exact same issue on an identical Edson pedestal. It slowly grew worse over time until I could barely engage the transmission. Please see the post below (post 4 outlines my solution but there are other ideas included in the thread). In my case it was neither the cable or linkage. It turned out to be corrosion/accumulation of salt and dirt where the transmission lever shaft passes through the pedestal. Edson directed me to disassemble and clean the shaft and sleeve housing. After which, it worked like new and still does.

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/trans-shifts-hard.178130/#post-1283030

BTW, I installed the extended lever at the pedestal for convenience sake. Very nice upgrade.

 

[Terry Cox]

Could shaft misalignment cause something like this? Just one thing I haven't checked...

If you mean the prop shaft, I don't think so. Usually if the shaft is misaligned it will cause a vibration. Another possibility is what berner73 posted above.

 

[Wanderwind]

I had the exact same issue on an identical Edson pedestal. It slowly grew worse over time until I could barely engage the transmission. Please see the post below (post 4 outlines my solution but there are other ideas included in the thread).

I don't really have much problem engaging it. I think the problem is with the amount of force it takes to get it out of gear. It's very hard for me not to fly through neutral, sometimes with a nice "clunk" coming from the transmission.

Glad to hear you liked the 10" lever. Maybe it will help me control the shifting better as well. Thanks for confirming that it works.

 

[Puesta del sol]

I have replaced both of these cables. Will look later to see if I can find who I ordered from.

Mine snapped just as I put it into reverse at the marina. Luckily close enough to grab a line and pull ourselves in.

I had a heck of a time unscrewing part of the just under compass. Bought a very long large screw driver and a large plies to losen. Had to cut one out. Replaced with bolts/hex heads. Why they used flat head screws is beyond me.

Note if your stop cable is binding let me know that is one crazy thing to replace.

 

[Terry Cox]

Note if your stop cable is binding let me know that is one crazy thing to replace.

Hi Keith, crazy is an understatement. Our stop cable runs from the knob just behind the instrument panel, starboard side down through the coaming to the engine room. Does not work. I pulled it several years ago thinking that some grease would help. Nope!

Took three hours to put it back in. Quite the rascal connecting the engine end of the cable to the engine shutoff. Rather than replace the cable, I left it connected, then tied two lanyards to the cable next to the engine. All I do is pull on the two lanyards to shut the engine off. Some day when I have lots of extra time I will replace that stop cable, but until then...

 

[vhoisington]

One thing to watch on these cables is where they run and is there anything binding the cable. I actually replaced the cable (same binnacle setup) on my h28. And had to watch the cable run. Do you have any sharp bends or something rubbing the cable that could cause it to bind up.

Just a thought. The others on this thread have provided most of the really good details,

Keep us posted

Victor

 

[Puesta del sol]

I managed to get it replaced. Three attempts while contoured on top of the engine.

Positive side it now works great. I actually think it was just binding where it was wedged between parts of the hull. I added a few wood blocks to hopefully keep it from binding again

 

[Yoda]

Just finished going through this with the same Edson model 816 pedestal. Shifting was stiff, then the shift cable broke at the cable end where it threads into clevis at the binnacle. Ordered new cable from Edson (and throttle cable since I was already in there), Edson tech support was very helpful in walking me thru with helpful hints for remove/replace cables by phone (508-995-9711). Per Edson, gear and throttle cables have about 10 year life expectancy in salt water. About $200 for the two cables (14 ft and 16 ft)). Installation guide is online at Edson website as pdf file. You will need a second pair of hands to install new cable, since you cannot be above and below deck at the same time. Once new cable installed and adjusted, you will notice a big difference in ease of shifting thru FNR.

 

[Wanderwind]

My only stop cable is inside the boat on the portside engine room bulkhead.

Regarding the screws in the pedestal... Mine were not flat head, they were #3 Philips. The only thing I had that size were some bits for one of those cheap Harbor Freight ratchet drivers, which wasn't nearly long enough to get down in there. So I used a 1/4" driver, extension and 1/4" socket... I took a picture because I was so impressed by my MacGyver skills. This is in the dark of night while at the dock in Coinjock NC with 20+ kts of wind.

 

[Wanderwind]

Once new cable installed and adjusted, you will notice a big difference in ease of shifting thru FNR.

Thanks for the info! I will probably replace them but to be honest the friction of the cable does not seem to be the cause of the difficulty. Still, I'd like to know I have good cables and have no idea when or if they have been replaced in the past.

 

[Puesta del sol]

I purchased TEL-CCX63309
TELEFLEX 3300 TFXTREME CONTROL
CABLE 9' from defender

I had to put a wire clamp around the cable in the engine room to add pressure to keep throttle from slipping (suggested by a local engine repair guy I trust).

 

[Wanderwind]

I purchased TEL-CCX63309
TELEFLEX 3300 TFXTREME CONTROL
CABLE 9' from defender

I had to put a wire clamp around the cable in the engine room to add pressure to keep throttle from slipping (suggested by a local engine repair guy I trust).

Thanks!! I have not replaced them yet, because I'm still not convinced they're the problem but looks like they're $36/ea, so I may just do it. My throttle cable already has a wire clamp on it like you mentioned, I didn't realize that wasn't standard.

 

[Terry Cox]

I purchased TEL-CCX63309
TELEFLEX 3300 TFXTREME CONTROL
CABLE 9' from defender

I had to put a wire clamp around the cable in the engine room to add pressure to keep throttle from slipping (suggested by a local engine repair guy I trust).

Hi Keith, as I recall our throttle cable has a tensioner adjustment machine screw in the pedestal that prevents any change in the throttle setting once set. I have never had a problem with the throttle setting changing.

 

[Puesta del sol]

Interesting. I will have to take it apart and see if I have something similar

 

[Puesta del sol]

I would replace it is easy and mine shifted hard right until it snapped

 

[Wanderwind]

The small amount of friction in the cable is not the cause of my gearshift sticking. Today while motoring it seemed like there was a considerable amount of vibration at certain RPMs. (Right around 1500 RPM) I opened the engine compartment and the engine was rocking back and forth at least half an inch or so.

I read on a Catalina forum that someone with the same engine/transmission had a lot of trouble shifting and it was because of the prop shaft misalignment. I'm going to try to align my prop shaft tomorrow and see if it helps, or if I'm even able to do it at anchor with the fairly modest collection of tools I've got.

I don't have enough experience to know if that's possible, but either way it being misaligned doesn't seem like a good thing so I'm going to try to correct it.

 

[Puesta del sol]

I would not expect the engine to be rocking - that seems odd. I have a very smooth ride up through 2500 rpm

I would replace cables at some points just given the age of the cables

 

[Wanderwind]

The cables were definitely replaced at some point and the look pretty "ok", but for the price it seems like I might as well so I know how old they are.

I went to adjust the shaft alignment and it seems to be slightly out of vertical and lateral alignment.

More alarmingly, while I was playing with the shaft coupler, I realized that the prop feels loose! Maybe that's actually be the reason for the vibration.

So I guess I'm going to have a diver come check it out for me.

Really thought I did a good job getting the prop on and properly fit, but I guess not. I used Mainsail's guide, prussian blue, grinding compound, etc. I dunno. Maybe I shouldn't have taken that on as a DIY project.

 

[Puesta del sol]

What type of prop. I have a max prop and it sounds loose if turning it from the inside.

Good luck on the dive. It is a long way under. I had to remove a crab pot earlier this year.

 

[Wanderwind]

Yeah, it's a fixed 3-blade bronze. Really not sure how it's possible that it's loose unless I just didn't get it on there right.

I had it re-pitched and refurbished right before fitting it and I had to file the key a bit to get it to seat down on the taper. It only has one nut because PO had cut the shaft at some point to fit a folding prop. But it's a castle nut, so it should be impossible to back off unless the cotter pin sheared, or fell out or something like that.

I don't know. I've got a diver coming out tomorrow to check it out for us and I'll know more then.