'77 Seafari Shift/Throttle Etec Cables

[Vezo, Part II]

Thanks Capt., kind of out of my hands now, but Thank You!!!

Michael.

[SailorChlud]

Maybe several members should post a few photos of their splashwell - rigging loop with measurements for other Seafari owners to reference? I will take some photos in the next week or two, as I still have to button up the hatch side of the tube - I am installing the fuel system next. Might also be a helpful reference with hydraulic cable routing too.

[Capt Terry]

Originally Posted by SailorChlud

Maybe several members should post a few photos of their splashwell - rigging loop with measurements for other Seafari owners to reference? I will take some photos in the next week or two, as I still have to button up the hatch side of the tube - I am installing the fuel system next. Might also be a helpful reference with hydraulic cable routing too.

Here are photos of 16' Teleflex TFextreme cables on my 20' Seafari. No measurements on photos I already had. But can probably judge it by the width of the gelcoated splashwell about 30". One photo shows the location of the throttle lever. Another barely shows the cables in the upper left corner of the stern access to the batteries. I tried to route in this area for largest possible bend radius. The throttle cable is the largest loop. All the advice was to avoid tight radii of the cables. There was a suggested radius (don't remember the value); but I am larger than that. To any ETEC owners there was a bulletin about replacing the on-the-engine throttle lever that rides against the throttle cam to avoid one that was getting sticky at operating temperatures. The part number stayed the same, but rev C was the fix.

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...pictureid=2515

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...pictureid=2516

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...pictureid=2517

[Vezo, Part II]

Dealer has had boat since Monday. Assumed broken/failing throttle cable or linkage out of adjustment. So far found bad Perko battery isolator switch and replaced. Improper voltage may have damaged my computer ($1700). $240 owed. Cannot find problem so now River Test for $99. Just warned him to be careful. Boat is unpredictably dangerous. When did technology surpass the intelligence of the average bear? Crap.

[Capt Terry]

Michael-
Guess electronics are great except when they aren't!! At age 14 my 35HP Johnson sometimes required a lot of hand cranking; but electrically there wasn't much to fail. Then later my 100HP Johnson had a failed pulse pack (before they went to one for each bank and when pulling the flywheel was required to get to the electrical connector for the pulse pack); lost a summer of boating due to factory strike or something. Now automobiles can go 100K miles on a set of plugs, but when something fails electrically is often difficult and expensive to locate the issue.
How was your engine performing dangerously? If this is the boat with the ETEC you might put your symptoms on the etecownerssite; be sure to include model and serial number.

[Vezo, Part II]

Easy to explain why it's dangerous. On my 99 OMC 175 on the MA, the throttle and shift cables are outboard of all the internals of the starboard side of block. So if the lock nuts loosened and there was an inch (feels like more) of play between the nuts on the throttle cable, you would have little reaction between throttle advance and retarding. Hence, all at once pinning passengers in their seats, at best, and then coming off plane, throwing each passenger forward into the bulkhead. Exactly the symptoms. Computer not throwing any codes and difficult to diagnose running engine in a barrel. I must be getting more dumb, each year.

Michael.

[SailorChlud]

Yikes! that surging thing sounds like a bugger.

[SailorChlud]

Here's a shot of my rigging loop on the '72 Seafari with 15' cables and a 36" loop. Just for reference. Michael - did you get the surging problem fixed?

[Vezo, Part II]

Actually I have not had a chance to river test it, but have zero expectation of any improvement. Ultimately, a new Perko battery isolator switch, and new Xtreme cables, which I already had the 2011 upgraded blue cables from original installation. Mechanic said they were fine. Wrote a check for $640.00. Let's just say I have a very, VERY bad taste in my mouth.

I believe I have a bad Throttle Position Sensor. Remember the slot cars we played with as kids? When you wore out the trigger of the rheastat, you could go full throttle down the back stretch, approach a turn, back off the trigger, and the car would either maintain full throttle and launch off the track, or just stop. That's what my engine is doing. Now I know why I can't plain under 3800. She suddenly drops to like 1400, launching my guests into the forward bulkhead. It SUCKS, and I'm disappointed the dealership would allow it to leave.

Vezo, Part II

[Capt Terry]

Michael
You mentioned a bad TPS. Check this out. I replaced this part on my 2012 ETEC. At the engine your throttle cable attaches to lower end of a throttle lever that has a cam shape at the upper end. The lever with a roller that contacts the cam is maybe 4"-5" long. If your cam follower lever does not have a "C" for rev C marked by the part number replace it as these would stick at operating temperatures. I am in Fla so I can't look at my records for the p/n. Contact Barnicle Bills where I bought mine for maybe $15 plus shipping. They will be well aware of thr part you need. The "C" is hard to see but with a bright light you can see it without removing the lever from the engine. This is well described on etecowners.com.