Shift cable/nozzle cover acting weird

[jebwm]

Hello everyone. It's been a great summer so far. I'm running into a minor (hopefully) issue and would like your guidance. I took the boat out yesterday and everything was fine. I docked it at a friends house overnight and just went to go get it this morning. My friend lives at the south end of the lake and there is a TON of seaweed that collects there. Her parents towed me out of it so that I wouldn't have to battle it and when I got into open water I attempted to start it up. I noticed that the shift lever felt a little springy and it didn't lock down into place like normal. I looked under the boat and there was a large amount of seaweed collected behind the boat so I figured "Oh, it's blocking the nozzles and won't let the shift lever lock into place" so I cleared it all out. Well even after doing that the lever is still springy and won't lock down (which forces me to hold it down so that I can engage the throttles). The starboard nozzle cover (not sure what the technical name for that is) operates fine, but the port nozzle cover will not move at all. So I have forward, but no neutral or reverse for that engine. I got it back on the trailer and just looked everything over and I don't see anything physically wrong with it like it got bent or anything. Any suggestions on how to fix this? I was hoping to take the boat away for the weekend on a family camping trip and would like it back in full functioning condition by then. Thanks in advance.

 

[bronze_10]

Could the cable be broken in between the shifter and the buckett? Of maybe came unattached from the shifter its self... I have not changed mine yet so I am not familiar with how they are hooked..

 

[jebwm]

I'll have to take the shift/throttle assembly off and look underneath to see if anything is broken or came disconnected. Good place to start, thank you.

 

[Bruce]

Those are reverse buckets. Cables from the throttles run to a quick disconnect at the top of the reverse bucket. If the cable were broken or disconnected I would expect the reverse bucket to open from the force of the jet which I believe to be what you are describing.

Replacing the cables will dramatically inprove the way your boat handles. So even if they are not broken I suggest replacing those cables.

 

[Bruce]

I'll have to take the shift/throttle assembly off and look underneath to see if anything is broken or came disconnected. Good place to start, thank you.

If you can move the reverse bucket up and down without the throttle moving then the cable is at minimum disconnected but more likely broken.

 

[Bruce]

There are good reference threads for replacing the reverse cables in the FAQ https://jetboaters.net/faq/how-to-replace-reverse-gate-shift-cables.57/

 

[jebwm]

So I can not move the reverse bucket on the bad side by hand either. On the good side, with a little force, I can move the reverse bucket up and down just fine. The bad side just feels stuck in place and has a little give to it but not enough to open and close it freely.

 

[Bruce]

If your boat is out of the water you can remove the two bolts that connect the cable to the reverse bucket and see if removing the cable allows you to move the reverse bucket. I believe those bolts are 10mm. They have bushings that you do not want to loose on them. I like to grease that assembly when reassembling and use thread sealant on the bolts.

The end of the cable is a spring loaded quick disconnect. Some use these but I find it easier to remove the two bolts. One of the bolts is shown roughly centered in my picture below on the right side of the cable. The other is on the opposite side.

Two larger bolts hold the reverse bucket onto the nozzle. It would be good to remove those and apply grease at this pivot point as well.

 

[jebwm]

I think I found the problem.....I'm guessing both of those shift cable rods are supposed to be straight? lol. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to bend it back and fix it. Looks like a simple fix hopefully.

 

[bronze_10]

I think I found the problem.....I'm guessing both of those shift cable rods are supposed to be straight? lol. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to bend it back and fix it. Looks like a simple fix hopefully.

ouch

 

[Bruce]

The question is why it bent. Either the bucket was jammed or the cable was corroded and stuck.

Just change the cables. Walmart has them for $36 each with free delivery to the store https://www.walmart.com/ip/33715448

You may hate me while you are changing them but you will be excited when you feel throttles afterward.

 

[Julian]

Yeah...if those cables have never been replaced.....they are very likely pretty stiff and will operate much better if replaced with new ones.

 

[jebwm]

The question is why it bent. Either the bucket was jammed or the cable was corroded and stuck.

Just change the cables. Walmart has them for $36 each with free delivery to the store https://www.walmart.com/ip/33715448

You may hate me while you are changing them but you will be excited when you feel throttles afterward.

I'm pretty confident that they bent because as I was being towed out of the seaweed, it all collected at the rear of the boat and without realizing it, I attempted to put it in gear with it all blocking the buckets. Not sure why it only happened to one and not both, perhaps that side had more seaweed bunched up.

I'm gonna attempt to bend the rod back and hope that it solves the problem for now since I'm going away with it for the weekend. Perhaps over the fall or next spring I will tackle the cable change.

Now you say "feel the throttles"...are those cable for the throttles or for the F/N/R lever that controls the buckets?

 

[Bruce]

The throttle levers control both the reverse bucket postition and the throttle position. Two of the cables connect to the engines for throttle control while the other two which I believe are larger diameter control the reverse buckets.

We replaced the steering and reverse cables in our 2007 SX230 last month. Doing so made a huge difference in the feel and capability of the boat. She is much more agile maneuvering around docks or onto the trailer now. Before changing the cables the force required to shift the buckets was sufficient that we often applied throttle when we simply meant to open the bucket. Now we can shift and engage throttle with single finger pressure allowing for much greater precision. I use the term we because my wife @Rana helped change the cables and often drives the boat. She finds her much easier to load on the trailer now.

 

[jebwm]

The throttle levers control both the reverse bucket postition and the throttle position. Two of the cables connect to the engines for throttle control while the other two which I believe are larger diameter control the reverse buckets.

We replaced the steering and reverse cables in our 2007 SX230 last month. Doing so made a huge difference in the feel and capability of the boat. She is much more agile maneuvering around docks or onto the trailer now. Before changing the cables the force required to shift the buckets was sufficient that we often applied throttle when we simply meant to open the bucket. Now we can shift and engage throttle with single finger pressure allowing for much greater precision. I use the term we because my wife @Rana helped change the cables and often drives the boat. She finds her much easier to load on the trailer now.

Since you have the 2007, I'm assuming you have the 2 lever throttle set up. My 2004 SR230 has the 3 lever assembly.

 

[Bruce]

Since you have the 2007, I'm assuming you have the 2 lever throttle set up. My 2004 SR230 has the 3 lever assembly.

Wow, I had no idea. I thought that all 230 models had two levers.

Upgrading to a two or four lever throttle so that you can use one jet in forward with the other in reverse for low speed manuvers should be a priority for you!

 

[Bruce]

This parts diagram shows the two lever throttle for a 2004 SR230 http://www.yamahapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/yam/50039e8ff870021f60a11497/remote-control-cables

I wonder if a previous owner swapped the two lever throttle for one from a two stroke boat?

 

[Bruce]

This parts diagram shows a three lever throttle on a 2003 SR230 http://www.yamahapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/yam/50039e69f870021f60a11408/remote-control-cables

Do you know if you have a SRT1000B or SRT1000C? I believe this model number will be on the info plate in front of the engine compartment hatch.

 

[jebwm]

This parts diagram shows the two lever throttle for a 2004 SR230 http://www.yamahapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/yam/50039e8ff870021f60a11497/remote-control-cables

I wonder if a previous owner swapped the two lever throttle for one from a two stroke boat?

That diagram is for the SX230, not the SR230. From all the reading I did before I bought the boat, the SR230 is a watered down version of the SX and they no longer make the SR model. I highly doubt the previous owner swapped it out. They didn't seem like the type. I'm pretty used to the 3 lever set up now, but still wonder how much more I would enjoy the 2 lever, especially when I let others drive the boat when I want to wakeboard. Anyone with boating experience gets thrown by the 3 lever set up. I read a post a few months back about a guy that did the swap for about $600-700 bucks.

 

[Bruce]

You caught me on the SX230 diagram instead of SR230. I missed the difference.

SeaStar / Teleflex makes the control cables and steering mechanisms for our boats. They did not make the throttles but from communicating with them I learned that they have a dual throttle product that should work fine that retails for $320 to $400. There is more info in this thread https://jetboaters.net/threads/seastar-teleflex-steering-systems-and-cables.10706/#post-184917