Replaced our throttle cable -2024

 Debbie putting together the bracket that holds the cable away from the alternator belt. In hindsight I should have just loosened the bracket and slid the cable in and then put the linkage on. The nut on the bracket was hard to get back on.

March 2024 - ⛵ Chip & Debbie 💑 Currently in Marina Costa Baja in La Paz, Mexico

 It was time to replace our throttle cable. It is 20 ft long and of course, snakes through the boat to the 38 hp Beta diesel motor. We had replaced the shifter cable recently, so we were well versed on the work, though no less disruptive. When testing the shifter cable, we found that the throttle cable was kinked by the engine and we will try to correct that, so it does not happen again. We are thinking a brace, so it does not get pushed down causing the kink. The existing throttle cable worked but was difficult to move in the lower RPM range. It was kinked and unrepairable. We last replaced it in 2019. Fortunately we found it here in La Paz - at Agencia Arjona as Lopez Marine had some, just not the 20' we needed. Upon testing it after installation, we made one adjustment in order to get the Beta 38 hp to idle RPM at 900.

We could probably have used a 22 ft cable instead of 20 ft as it would have laid down in the lazarette batter. 

Where it broke on the outer housing.

That is where it also kinked the actual cable that is inside.

Debbie in the lazarette, she just pulled down the cable from the binnical.

I am putting on the linkage that connects to the motor.

Debbie is holding the emergency stop line out of the way so I can try to get the nut on the bracket that holds the cable.

My fingers are too big so Debbie took over and got the nut back on.

Debbie is in the lazarette securing the cable..

The black wire is for the compass light.

The red cable is the old one, also 20 ft. We are removing it.

The new cable which is also 20 ft (not all shown) is going back in.

Yes it runs under the deck and through the steps storage area (1978) Islander Freeport 36' and through here.

Debbie guiding the new throttle cable up under the binnical.

The white line is a flag halyard we are using to pull the cable through. We taped it to the end of the cable, making it no bigger than the cable.

Debbie is down there!

I am putting on the end linkage on the end of the throttle cable now that we have it up and out of the binnical.

The box the new cable came in (minus the blue tape).

All done. We adjusted the idle by moving the cable at the linkage at the engine, we slid the cable away from the engine to get to 900 rpm's.