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powermaker · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:43 am **Posts:** 78

Is it possible to change the shift cable on a Volvo 5.7 GSI without removing the lower unit ? I have tried all day to snake the cable through the transom . It seems impossible to me that the end fittings would go through that hole . Advice is MUCH appreciated !

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:10 pm

I recently did mine. I went from inside the boat out to the drive... I recall being able to get my hand behind the drive to guide it from the transom to the hole in the drive. I had my son help feed the cable from inside the boat.

GottWhat · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:43 pm

Have you searched YouTube for any useful tutorials?

powermaker · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:43 am **Posts:** 78

GottWhat wrote:

Have you searched YouTube for any useful tutorials?

Yes . Lots of stuff on mercruisers but they are completely different . Haven't been able to find anything on Volvo .

powermaker · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:43 am **Posts:** 78

alex8q4 wrote:

I recently did mine. I went from inside the boat out to the drive... I recall being able to get my hand behind the drive to guide it from the transom to the hole in the drive. I had my son help feed the cable from inside the boat.

The problem I am having is getting through the transom . Did you have to remove anything on the cable or the transom ? I just can't see how the cable fittings can fit through the hole . Of course I can't even see the hole from inside or outside .

Graham R · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:46 am

powermaker wrote:

alex8q4 wrote:

I recently did mine. I went from inside the boat out to the drive... I recall being able to get my hand behind the drive to guide it from the transom to the hole in the drive. I had my son help feed the cable from inside the boat.

The problem I am having is getting through the transom . Did you have to remove anything on the cable or the transom ? I just can't see how the cable fittings can fit through the hole . Of course I can't even see the hole from inside or outside .

I changed the cable on a previous boat a few years ago. (2004 Sundowner with a 5.7 GXi/ DPS).

I fed the cable into the fairly large rubber tube attached to transom shield from the inside. It went through easily.

You mention cable end fittings. The cable I fitted came with a lock nut on the end; I had removed that and taped over the thread to prevent it getting damaged. I could probably have left the nut on and taped over it, as it was smaller than the outer cable diameter.The cube nut ( the brass bit that attaches to the shift lever on the outdrive) should certainly not be fitted if the new cable is being fed through from the inside.

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2015 5:32 am

I'd say for sure that cable fitting that hooks up to the shift bell crank needs to come off before you can get it through that tube.
The Volvo SX design is somewhat similar to the OMC Cobra here but on the Cobra the cable has a fitting that bolts to the back side of the pivot housing. So the drive and pivot housing both have to come off.

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2015 5:52 am

powermaker wrote:

alex8q4 wrote:

I recently did mine. I went from inside the boat out to the drive... I recall being able to get my hand behind the drive to guide it from the transom to the hole in the drive. I had my son help feed the cable from inside the boat.

The problem I am having is getting through the transom . Did you have to remove anything on the cable or the transom ? I just can't see how the cable fittings can fit through the hole . Of course I can't even see the hole from inside or outside .

Take everything off of the cable and it will fit.

LVChris · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2015 4:36 pm

Powermaker,

This is the tube the cable fed into on my boat. (1996 238 Vista with 5.8fi (ford))

and this is where it connected on the outdrive.

The nut and pin were not on it when we threaded it through.

Here is what the old one looked like (the new one was the same, just newer and not bent and cracked)

Hope that helps

powermaker · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:43 am **Posts:** 78

Thanks guys , that is what I'm trying to do , thread the cable into the hose and through the transom to the out drive . It goes through the hose easily but I can't get it to go through the hole in the transom . I was trying to do it by myself yesterday but my wife will be able to help me tomorrow . Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad one

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2015 7:56 pm

Deep breaths and no yelling.

Happy wife happy life!

powermaker · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:43 am **Posts:** 78

Well I finally got it today ! There was a plastic fitting that came off of the old cable that was inside the hose and would lodge in the hole preventing the new cable from coming through the hole . It was also A HUGE HELP to have someone help my pulling and jiggling on the outside while I pushed from the inside.

powermaker · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:43 am **Posts:** 78

Hey Chris, I broke a cable clamp off my shifter and a local boat mechanic let me take one off a trashed boat he had behind his shop . It was a 96 238 exactly like yours , same color and everything. He said a dude left it for a motor overhaul in 2009 and never came back to pay him or get the boat . It has been sitting in the lot behind his shop , uncovered , since 2009 . Needless to say it's in terrible shape . I took pictures, but I don't really know how to post them here . First thing I looked at was the hatch , but somebody had broken it .

DougT01 · **Joined:** Wed May 20, 2015 6:44 pm **Posts:** 121

powermaker wrote:

Well I finally got it today ! There was a plastic fitting that came off of the old cable that was inside the hose and would lodge in the hole preventing the new cable from coming through the hole . It was also A HUGE HELP to have someone help my pulling and jiggling on the outside while I pushed from the inside.

It's nice when you finally get over the obstacles and get-ur=done :-)

That feeling of success and accomplishment.

Glad it all worked out. Looking forward to hear how improved the shifter is.

Doug

LVChris · **Posted:** Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:01 am

Powermaker, that's great to hear you finally got it! And good to know what was making an easy task so damn difficult. Glad you figured it out.

Sad to hear someone abandoned a great boat like that...I'm not the one who was looking for a hatch though...

www.iFourWinns.com

I've cussed , sweated , and bled !

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