OMC Steering cable

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

Boomyal, let me get this straight, do I not need to have the drive off to get to these fittings?

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: OMC Steering cable

The impeller was replaced right before I bought it.

even more reason to replace it - the guy had the drive apart and didn't even grease the swivel? something fishy.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

I actually picked the boat up from the shop that did the impeller. I should have just had him keep it there and fix the steering but im trying to keep the cost down and the wife happy.

So I replaced the fitting. Still wont take grease. Fitting tskes grease when not threaded in. Looks to me like the grease hole is completely clogged with hard dirt and grease. would I be ok taking a small drill bit to the hole to try to unclog it?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC Steering cable

Boomyal, let me get this straight, do I not need to have the drive off to get to these fittings?

No, you do not. The rear most fitting is on the underside of the boss where the steering shaft exits the intermediate housing, ie, right below the gear that engages with the outdrive. All you have to do is have the drive in the full up position, then look underneath and you can put your grease gun on the fitting. There may be a little cap on the fitting.

The forward zerk fitting will be inside the engine compartment where the shaft terminates, ahead of the TruCourse drum, in the intermediate housing.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC Steering cable

I actually picked the boat up from the shop that did the impeller. I should have just had him keep it there and fix the steering but im trying to keep the cost down and the wife happy.

So I replaced the fitting. Still wont take grease. Fitting tskes grease when not threaded in. Looks to me like the grease hole is completely clogged with hard dirt and grease. would I be ok taking a small drill bit to the hole to try to unclog it?

I would try probing it. It is hard to imagine that it would not take the grease unless, as you speculate, the fitting hole itself, is plugged up.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

The hole is absolutely 100 percent plugged up. Bad. Its gonna take a while for me to get this thing clear enough to take grease. Do you guys know how the grease is routed to the swivel? I.E. is it right behind the hole the zerk threads into? Or is there a short passage way that it travels through to get to the swivel?

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

I found the fitting outside the transom you were talking about. That one took grease no problem. Definitely loosened up the steering a little too. I would say its driveable now but still not quite right. I cant find the one inside though. And cant see how i would get to it even if I found it.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC Steering cable

......I cant find the one inside though. And cant see how i would get to it even if I found it.

It is easy to find. Just locate the rear TruCourse cable drum. The zerk is just forward of the drum on the IH boss that the front end of steering shaft rides in. The zerk sticks out, at 90?, pointing to the right gunwale. It is tight but you can reach in there and feel it even if you cannot get a straight line of sight to it.

As for the swivel housing zerk, the housing it screws into is not very thick so I doubt there is a clogged passageway. I really think your problem is that your are not getting the gun tip square on it. As I said, I had to play with mine till I got a positive insertion.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

Its not the gun. I pulled out the zerk. Shined a light up there, and the hole is completely clogged with a hard substances thst resembles dried clay. I'll look again tomorrow for the other zerk. And pick some more at the clogged one. Thanks again for your help man.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

Boomyal, is that zerk you're talking about on top of the IH boss? I found a hole that seems to be where you're describing. it has threads, but a zerk won't fit, its slightly larger than the angled zerk fittings threads.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC Steering cable

Boomyal, is that zerk you're talking about on top of the IH boss? I found a hole that seems to be where you're describing. it has threads, but a zerk won't fit, its slightly larger than the angled zerk fittings threads.

I am going to have to go out to my boat and recheck it. Fortunately I have a hatch in the back deck, right above that area. My recollection is that the zerk aims straight out toward the gunwale, but it has been a while since I have been in there. I might not be able to get to it until Wednesday. I'll post back.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC Steering cable

As luck would have it, I have a picture. You can clearly see the silver zerk fitting at the eleven o'clock position in relation to the bottom of the assy. mount pad. It is as I recalled. It sticks straight out, horizontally.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

My hand must have gone right around the fitting a hundred times. Either that or its gone. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC Steering cable

My hand must have gone right around the fitting a hundred times. Either that or its gone. Thank you so much for your help.

Now that you know where it is, even if it not there, you should be able to put your finger on the hole or look in there with a mirror and a light.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

yeah I found it right away. It had a cap on it, and it felt like a bolt when I was feeling around there before. so, my grease gun tip won't fit on there, so I'm gonna have to get one of those needle extensions I guess.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

So I took the boat out today, I'm very happy with it so far. The steering is still stiff, it's also MUCH harder to turn right than left. Is that normal? Also, the water pump is working great the tell tale is flowing. But the motor overheats after a while. I'm thinking thermostat. I'm also going to attempt to lube the trucourse cables soon as well. But the right/left thing is really weird.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: OMC Steering cable

yeah I found it right away. It had a cap on it, and it felt like a bolt when I was feeling around there before. so, my grease gun tip won't fit on there, so I'm gonna have to get one of those needle extensions I guess.

I forgot to warn you about the dirt cap on the zerk.

As for steering stiffness, there are 4 area/points to deal with. You have the swivel housing between the upper and lower outdrive cases, the forward and aft steering shaft zerks AND the TruCourse cableways. Those had gotten so stiff in my '75, my arms looked like Popeye's trying to steer the boat. After I removed the rear drum, raised it high in the air and clamped it to a pole, then shot lubricant down each cable way as my son slowly turned the helm wheel. It made a HUGE difference when I was done.

As for the pulling, you just need to adjust the trim tab above the propeller. I think I have mine adjusted all the way counter clockwise as you are looking at it face on, from the bottom.

 

[southkogs]

Re: OMC Steering cable

... Also, the water pump is working great the tell tale is flowing. But the motor overheats after a while. I'm thinking thermostat...

... unless something is different on the newer Stringers, you shouldn't see a tell-tale. The Stringer is supposed to be almost completely submerged until you're on plane. And if you're leanin' over to check the tell-tale then, you're braver than I am

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

Boomyal the cables are next on my list. And i'll play with that trim tab. Thanks. Southkogs I had the boat out of the water hooked up to my hose. That was when I saw that it was pumping water. Im gonna change the thermostat first because its only like 13 bucks. But an impeller will be next if that doesnt help. Supposedly this boat had a brand new impeller. But who knows.

 

[dhughes214]

Re: OMC Steering cable

Impeller definitely working. Looks like the thermostat is working too. I just had a revelation. I seem to recall reading a thread somewhere about ungreased swivels causing over heating. I still have not solved my swivel grease fitting problem. Could that be related to over heating?