1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

[leea4]

Okay, i have a 1978 OMC 140 HP I/O that won't turn over. The numbers i found on the engine are: 2770087 and K2376. I have read many posts here, and am going to use them to drop the sterndrive, but i need to get the Shift cable off first. I am having trouble finding it, and am not sure why. Attached are the photos of what i believe may be it. I know that the previous owner has 'rigged' something to the dash so that you flip a toggle to put it into forward gear, but you use the shift lever for reverse. Perhaps this has something to do with why i cannot find what is supposed to be there?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,... Those are pictures of the Steerin' cable,...

You have an ole Electric shift, stringer 400 drive,... No shift cable...

 

[leea4]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

Sounds lovely...now i'm off to find something in the archives on how to get that sucker out. thanks for the help, would explain why i couldn't find the mechanical one!

 

[leea4]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

So i'm having some trouble finding a good description on how to dismantle that electric shift to drop the sterndrive... any suggestions on a thread i might have missed seeing??

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

the numbers posted are not anything to ID from, 1978 140 model numbers are:

990244D 1978
990244H 1978
990244H1 1978
990244P 1978
990245D 1978
990245H 1978
990245H1 1978

If you have one of those, and your engine/drive are indeed 1978
1978 is cable shifted. 1977 was the last year of electric shift.
on a 78 There is a shift converter box behind the engine. You take the cables off a "spool" inside the converter box. I suggest a factory manual, as the shift cable is no longer available and typically sells for over $700 if anyone has one. take the battery right out of the boat before unhooking the cables.

 

[southkogs]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

IF you're electric shift, you should be able to find the shift cables for your drive on the port side of the engine back by the intermediate housing. They'll look kinda' like this:

You can see mine resting on the top of the blower hose. There should be two knife connectors you disengage and they'll slide through the housing.

EDIT: I wound up attaching photos of the trunions and tilt quadrant and now can't get rid of them. Let's figure out if you're an electric shift before you start taking the drive off.

 

[leea4]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

Those pictures look exact to what i have... i'll open the cover tomorrow and make sure. But i'm almost positive that they are the same.

 

[southkogs]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

The drives won't look all that different. Mainly look for those shift wires and I think the water inlet screen just above the prop.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

64-77 electric shifts have pin on prop
78 -98 OMC's have exhaust through prop hub

 

[leea4]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

Okay, finally got time to get in there again. There is definately a cotter pin on the prop. there are some pics of what i think is the wire i need to disconnect. Any help at all in where to go would be appreciated!

 

[leea4]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems



couple more pictures to help you out with helpin me

 

[southkogs]

Re: 1978 140 HP OMC Engine/Sterndrive problems

I can't tell where the wires are going in that photo, but I can't see the knife connectors typical of electric shift. What Howard meant by the props is that an electric shift prop would look like this:


... You might have a prop that allows thu-hub exhaust on the shaft, but there would be a solid plate behind the prop. Mine (electric shift) has the exhaust above the prop.