New Control Cables

Hi,

My clutch and throttle cables are pretty stiff and sticky. I think they are original to the 1990 E38.

I've read through the following good thread:
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?545-Improved-Control-Cable-Run

It sounds like Teleflex Xtreme cables are the way to go (part number CC633). It also sounds like on another E38, a 17-ft cable was used for the throttle and a 14-ft cable was used for the clutch.

My questions are:

(1) Should I physically remove my cables and measure them first before ordering new ones?
(2) Does it matter what type of engine (Yanmar), pedestal (Edson), and/or transmission (Hurth) that I have? Are the end connections all the same?
(3) What about the engine stop cable? Is that the same type of cable? Length?

Sorry, I;m just trying to gather some information before I start tearing things apart...

Thanks,
Mark

mkollerjr said:

Hi,

My clutch and throttle cables are pretty stiff and sticky. I think they are original to the 1990 E38.

I've read through the following good thread:
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?545-Improved-Control-Cable-Run

It sounds like Teleflex Xtreme cables are the way to go (part number CC633). It also sounds like on another E38, a 17-ft cable was used for the throttle and a 14-ft cable was used for the clutch.

My questions are:

(1) Should I physically remove my cables and measure them first before ordering new ones?
(2) Does it matter what type of engine (Yanmar), pedestal (Edson), and/or transmission (Hurth) that I have? Are the end connections all the same?
(3) What about the engine stop cable? Is that the same type of cable? Length?

Sorry, I;m just trying to gather some information before I start tearing things apart...

Thanks,
Mark

Click to expand...

------------------------------------------
Hi there!

Just a thought before you jump into it with too much effort and costs....

Lubricating the cable(s) may possibly be an easy alternative. Did that years back when I still had the Atomic 4 in my E32 with the choke and it made it like brand new again. It's amazing what a little penetrating oil can/will do!

Here's also an email I got the other day about the efficiency of the various penetrating lubricants for this type of usage. (haven't tried the "SHOP BREW" myself yet, but am anxious to try it out!) Hope this may help!
-kerry


For all of you mechanic's and self doer's out there. Recently, Machinist Workshop Magazine, did a test on penetrating oils. Using nuts and bolts that they "scientifically rusted" to a uniform degree by soaking in salt water, they then tested the break-out torque required to loosen the nuts.


They treated the nuts with a variety of penetrants and measured the torque required to loosen them. This is what they came up with:







Nothing: 516 lbs




WD-40: 238 lbs;




PB Blaster: 214 lbs;




Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs,




Kano Kroil: 106 lbs




Shop Brew (50/50): 50 lbs.







This last "Shop Brew" of 50% automatic transmission fluid and 50% acetone appears to beat out the commercially prepared products costing far more.

Thanks. I've considered squirting some Teflon lube as a temporary fix. However, I have ridden on and worked on bikes for far too long, and I realize the importance of replacing cables and housings on a regular basis.

Mark

I took my throttle and shift cables to West Marine. They actually had them in stock.

Had a little more trouble finding a stop cable for the Universal diesel. This turned out to be an exact replacement:

http://www.marineoutfitters.ca/inde...343|11440&product=11635942&code=104271-67550V

mkollerjr said:

Thanks. I've considered squirting some Teflon lube as a temporary fix. However, I have ridden on and worked on bikes for far too long, and I realize the importance of replacing cables and housings on a regular basis.

Mark

Click to expand...

I hear you!! ...Mr. "Murphy" and I are LONG time acquaintances! Actually, I even know Mr. "O'Toole" even better! (HE is the one who said, "Murphy is an optimist"!! There is nothing better than new parts or improving the system whenever possible.

E 38-200 cables

I have a 1988 38-200. I just ran new cables today for the throttle and transmission. I did not yet finish the job, as it's too cold out to do the whole job at once this time of year. I have the Universal 5432 engine, but I imagine that the run is about the same with the Yanmar. I also have the Edson pedestal. Both of my cables (on the old and the new pair) were 17 feet. There is a bit of extra to coil around in the aft lazarette for the transmission cable. But, it makes no difference functionally. Use the printed instructions available on the Edson website with excellent tips for removing the clamp from the pedestal without removing or loosening the steering chain. I did it the way they recommended and it worked out well. Be sure to run a pulling wire for each cable for each segment of the run when pulling out the old cables. The old red cables are now replaced by the black teleflex extreme as noted above. Be sure to bring an old wire coat hanger with you to the boat. If anything doesn't go perfectly down in the pedestal, a tool fashioned from the hanger wire will bail you out. It's really not as bad a little project as it seems... unless there is ice or snow aboard. I may wait for spring to finish the adjustments.

I recommend removing and measuring yours.

The length of the cable is imprinted on the cable jacket. I just double checked: it is included in the part # of the cable.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=783

It's amazing all of the things Google knows. :nerd:

I've looked all over the accessible sections of red cable, but alas, cannot see any markings indicating length, or any markings at all. I guess I'll just be taking them out when the time comes.

None on my old Morse cables, either.

I started that thread back in 2002, so I feel your pain. I also could not find any markings on my old red cable housings, and had to guess at the length when I ordered new ones. If there's no hurry, and you are doing it over the winter, I would suggest removing them to measure - being sure to use the existing cables to run messenger lines as you do! Even when you do measure the existing ones, I would suggest that you feel free to alter the length a foot or two if you think the original run could be improved upon. One foot more or less won't make a difference in the feel, and it could allow you to make the curves more fair.

Put another way, the factory messed up the part under the binnacle so much that I wouldn't assume that anything about the original factor routing was optimum.

Thanks! Yeah, seems like a great boat in general, but some of the construction details makes you think "hmmm, what?" I guess that was the typical scene for production boats.

I hope my boat wasn't built by the same hungover crew that built yours where you found the shipping receipt embedded in the hull/keel joint! Or was that Loren....

mark

Sorry if I'm seeming negative. Living on a boat in the puget sound in the winter makes you feel a bit like a mole. Leave the boat when it's dark, get back when it's dark. And you seem to notice all the little projects around you more, which is good. We've gotten a lot more done then if we weren't living aboard, and we don't have cats. But I like it, and don't miss my condo at all. I know all these small projects will pay dividends come good weather, sailing the sound, blue sky, nice wind, bare feet!

mark

Hang in there!

mkollerjr said:

Thanks! Yeah, seems like a great boat in general, but some of the construction details makes you think "hmmm, what?" I guess that was the typical scene for production boats.

I hope my boat wasn't built by the same hungover crew that built yours where you found the shipping receipt embedded in the hull/keel joint! Or was that Loren....

mark

Click to expand...

Nope, not me.... and do try to cheer up... Solstice is almost here! Then the days start to slowwwwwwly lengthen. Before ya know it, we will all be sharing an adult beverage at the happy hour raft up at the NW Ericson Rendezvous!


Small world, but I seem to recall that Kathy and I had a look at your boat (same model and name) a few seasons ago. We were not quite ready to move up, and then it appears that you bought it.

The irony is that Ericson was a high end production builder; I used to help a friend do some set up and clean up for the local boat show in the late 70's... he sold H___ers... and you would no way Believe that stuff that was thrown together loosely in those boats! Keel attachment oddities, and more... :0

Loren

Phew! Got the throttle and shift cables out after a few hours. A few hours of contorting my body to fit in the various spaces in the bowels of the boat. Snapped two bolt heads off and had to drill another one out on the cable clamps because they were siezed. I too was able to extract the cables through the pedestal without having to loosen the chain. Turns out I had a 15 footer and 16 footer. Called west marine and they have them in stock. Probably install them after the break. Stay tuned. It's Miller time...

Mark

Re: throttle handle

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

No problem with that on mine. However, Ericson built it with the binnacle section holding the handles inverted so that the handles are a little higher up on the pedestal. As a consequence, the opening designed for the throttle is used for the shift lever and vice versa. Perhaps that was done to make more clearance room. I'm not at my boat so I'm not sure if that is the solution you need. Perhaps it will work as it is. If the shifter fits without interference, the throttle should also. The metal one is not much bigger.

I'm pretty sure the plastic lever is a former design replaced by stainless--which you can retrofit.

Been a while since I sailed with an Edson , but regarding the design of the stainless lever--the placement of the stamped words--I remember them mounted in a more aft position than yours. That is, neutral wasn't vertical.

But you've probably tried adjusting for that....

You probably knew this ...

Hi Mark,

I read that you twisted off some bolt heads. Do you have some Tef-Gel to coat the new bolts and screw threads? Any place that stainless and aluminum are screwed together or come in contact with each other in this moist environment, they will eventually seize/corrode to each other. Tef-Gel will insulate them, and is preferred over other anti-seize compounds for stainless and aluminum. I was lucky not to twist off a head or two when I removed my cables, but I did have severe problems elsewhere. A 35-year-old boat, so go figure

I am using a great deal of Tef-Gel as I reassemble my equipment, both for me and for the next owner.

Re: anti-sieze

Thanks. I've been using Lanacoat on all my new projects for anti-sieze. I believe it's similar to TefGel. Below is a picture of the clutch cable clamp. Two stainless boots directly through an aluminum block. Both bolt heads easily snapped right off. It was only a matter of time before it started popping off on its own when I tried to use the shifter...