New Control Cables

[footrope]

I don't use Lanocote, so I looked it up online. A natural product. Maybe better than Tef-Gel from that standpoint. I'll keep it in mind for the future. I wonder what its shelf life is?

Your picture reminds me of the rusty bracket and clamp from my shifter cable. The bracket screwed onto my transmission is in need of clean-up and paint. Too bad they don't sell the little saddle clamp in stainless, probably because it would be too soft to hold the cable properly. I kept all the puzzle pieces for my throttle and shifter and will be putting it all back next month.

I have a Yacht Specialties pedestal, which is quite different from your Edson configuration. It looks like your compass light wires sticking up there. That is one improvement I need to make on my pedestal. Right now I solder the wire that runs all the way from the nav table. If I remove the compass, I have to be careful of the cable and then the circuit board with the LEDs hangs there. With it all apart it would be easy to clean that up and use disconnects.

Cheers!

 

[mkollerjr]

It’s essentially derived from sheep wool (i.e. the oil). It’s the key ingredient in Bag Balm. Not only does it prevent galvanic corrosion, you can also use it as lip balm, or to treat saddle sores.

 

[mkollerjr]

re: compass light wires

I don't use Lanocote, so I looked it up online. A natural product. Maybe better than Tef-Gel from that standpoint. I'll keep it in mind for the future. I wonder what its shelf life is?

Your picture reminds me of the rusty bracket and clamp from my shifter cable. The bracket screwed onto my transmission is in need of clean-up and paint. Too bad they don't sell the little saddle clamp in stainless, probably because it would be too soft to hold the cable properly. I kept all the puzzle pieces for my throttle and shifter and will be putting it all back next month.

I have a Yacht Specialties pedestal, which is quite different from your Edson configuration. It looks like your compass light wires sticking up there. That is one improvement I need to make on my pedestal. Right now I solder the wire that runs all the way from the nav table. If I remove the compass, I have to be careful of the cable and then the circuit board with the LEDs hangs there. With it all apart it would be easy to clean that up and use disconnects.

Cheers!

Yeah those are the compass light wires. The light on my compass had not worked since I bough the boat. I was reading an old service record from the PO of where someone at a yard was trying to trouble shoot why the light did not work, with apparently no luck. At first I thought the light never got wired up. So, I turned on the running lights and hooked up my multi-meter to the connections. Sure enough, 12 volts. Realizing that LED's have a polarity, I switched the leads. Presto! The light now works. This is just one more piece of evidence reinforcing the notion that taking my boat to a yard to get something fixed will be the last thing I do.

Mark

 

[Christian Williams]

evidence reinforcing the notion that taking my boat to a yard to get something fixed will be the last thing I do.

!

 

[footrope]

Polarity - good thinking. That is why I am "polarizing" most of the new and re-done connections with this layup. Use of red/black or red/yellow wiring for most DC applications helps, as long as the leads you're connecting them to are distinguishable also. I have run into plenty of wire color changes at butt splices.

When I am using spade connectors I put a male and a female on one pair and then a female and a male on the other pair so that I can't mess up the polarity when in a hurry or when I'm "sleep repairing." You can do the same with barrel (round plug-socket) connectors.

Interesting that your compass light goes through the nav lights. That makes sense. Mine is wired to the battery switch directly. I need to check to see if it is fused.

 

[Tom Metzger]

I've got a stainless shift handle and a cheap plastic throttle handle on my Edson pedestal. The stainless shift handle barely has enough clearance before it hits the grab bar in the forward position. I'm not sure if there is a reason I have a plastic throttle, maybe because of this same interference issue. Has anyone had any issues with the stainless throttle handle clearance with the grab bar? I'd like to get one. Mark

Mark - From your pic it looks like the throttle crank arm is shorter than the shift crank arm (where the cable attaches). If it's not just the pic, perhaps changing the throttle shaft & arm to a longer arm model would reduce the required arc.

Another approach would be to shorten the arm on the engine throttle crank.

My shift lever has the same situation as yours,but no problem with the throttle.

 

[mkollerjr]

Well, I ordered a new stainless throttle handle from MarinePartDepot.com. It was less than half the price of a new one from Edson. I plan on putting it all back together after the holidays. I guess I will find out then if there are any clearance issues!

Does anyone know what that hex nut on the throttle handle barrel is for (next to the set screw)? It's not identified on the Edson literature that I have.

Mark

 

[Joliba]

Hex head screw

I believe you are referring to the friction adjustment for the throttle lever. Many throttles will slip with the engine vibration causing the RPM to drift when powering. This hex head machine screw or a clamp placed on the cable itself (usually in the engine compartment) are sometimes used to adjust the throttle friction to prevent the RPM drift. Unfortunately, that part of my binnacle is inverted so there is no friction adjustment on the throttle. It is on the shifter where it serves no purpose. I use a clamp instead.

 

[EGregerson]

adjustment nut

I adjusted the tension nut on mine when I did this several years ago; maybe yours (binnacle base) was turned around. A post on this site also has a block placed under the cables to reduce the radius of the bend in the 'stateroom' under the vinyl liner. All this really slickens the cable movement, which is great but makes the tensioner essential.

 

[Glyn Judson]

Cable tensioner.

All, I thought I'd pass on the part number for a great cable tensioner made by Morse. It's essentially a stainless steel strap 1" wide , bent roughly into a "C" shape. A 1/4-20 tapped hole is in one end of the "C" with a stainless steel bolt and jam nut attached. The bolt head can be turned down onto the cable and against the other end or the strap, thereby uniformly pinching the cable to the desired tension. Morse calles it their cable brake, #44386. Happy new year to you all, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA

 

[JPS27]

question on cable tensioner

I've been reading this thread with interest because it's helping me think through some of my issues as I hopefully am getting close to being done with my major overhauls. So... related to this thread conversation, how does that tensioner work, ie, obviously it grabs the cable but what else is it attached to and where? My issue is trying to reconfigure my cable situation to a repower with different engine...trying to figure out how to brace near the gear box. Here is a picture of the item Glyn showed from a different forum where someone suggested the picture was wrong and that was the reason people were crushing their cable to the point it was not movable

 

[Christian Williams]

It just crushes the cable at that point to create a resistance. A vicegrip on the cable would do the same. Not much pressure is required.

 

[Glyn Judson]

Cable brake

Dear JPS27, That's pretty much what I was trying to describe. Mine, though is more V-shaped at the bottom, this must be a refinement of the design or a cheaper way to make it. Has Teleflex bought Morse? I know the number I gave you was a Morse their part number when I bought mine years ago and of course, I see that Teleflex uses the same number. Cheers all, Glyn

 

[JPS27]

thanks

Thanks, Glyn. I pm'd you to spare everyone else my very basic question. Sorry you aren't spared

Jay

 

[mkollerjr]

Re: tensioner

I had one similar installed on my cable. I'm going to try without it first and see how it performs when I put the cables back in. In reading through the literature, it performs best placed closer to the engine near the cable clamp. Mine was installed closer to the pedestal.

 

[Glyn Judson]

Tensioner.

Guys, For what it's worth, mine is smack dab between the engine and the pedestal. I have a large Bomar hatch in the cockpit sole and access to the tensioner for initial tweaking was important at the time, thus where it is and has stayed. I wish I'd known about the optimum location nearer the engine at the time. When I bought it, the sales guy opened a plastic drawer, took one out and handed it across the counter to me, that was the extent of education I got on installation. For those of you local to Marina del Rey, it was Michael, owner of the now closed Ships' Store. I understand there is another location under new ownership but have gone to the address and can't fine it. Help anyone? Glyn, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA

 

[C.A. Fields]

Stop lever

Firstly, when I rebuilt my E-38 in 2007 I used Lanacote on all my SS/aluminum mates and combinations and recently had to remove some bolts from my boom and they came out just like I'd installed them last week. The stuff is amazing.
Secondly, I am wondering if any of you out there have a Universal M40/5432 with a stop lever rather than the "pull the throttle all the way back and stall the engine whilst coming into the dock and wanting reverse before the dock and boat meet" scenario. If so, did you install it or did it come already installed? Is there a kit from Universal? Anyone using an electrical stop solenoid?
Thanks,
C.A. Fields
"Nimue"

 

[Joliba]

I have a 1988 E 38–200 with the Universal 5432. This boat came with a pull cable attached to the stop lever on the engine. The knob for the cable is located with the engine instruments on the aft face of the starboard cockpit seat, adjacent to the engine key switch. These engines come with the stop lever, so attaching a cable should be relatively easy if you do not currently have one. I cannot imagine how I would routinely shut down the engine without this.
Mike Jacker

 

[footrope]

I don't know what was standard on the 5432 engine in the 1980 E38s. I have to yank the throttle lever aft (hard) against a spring to cut off the fuel. No separate pull lever or solenoid. Now, at some time in the first 24 years of my hull's history, the engine control panel was relocated from the aft face of the right lazarette to the end of the T (still starboard) up high on the coaming. I'd have to have someone tell me if the panel is the original. I don't recall any missing control space, nor any mysterious markings that might indicate the solenoid type cutoff was removed.

We will stick to the throttle pull cutoff. We're used to it and haven't had hardly any false cutoffs.

For throttle friction, we inherited string that held the throttle lever at a given location. Duct tape on the pedestal guard was also used with the string. We're going to try to improve on that when we get to replacing the cables and rigging them.

 

[mkollerjr]

Ok, some brief snow flurries yesterday, but I got it all put back together. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I just tightened the set screw on the pedestal for the throttle, and it seems to be providing enough friction without the Morse tensioner. The new stainless steel throttle handle also has ample clearance. It maxes out about 2 inches before the grab bar. The 16 foot throttle cable was just about right. The 15 foot clutch cable could have been a couple of feet shorter. I should be getting a new stop cable in the mail soon, and then I will install that!

mark