86 C34 shift lever this small?

[Porchhound]

It's hard to get much purchase with this 3inch shift lever. Pictured as a comparison is the throttle lever. Is this 3 inch shift lever standard on the C34s? This could be the issue I'm having with my transmission shifting difficulties.

[Noah]

Don't think so. My 1990 has this below:
https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-by-boat/catalina-350/hull-deck/cockpit/engine-control-clutch-handle-stainless/?SearchResults=1

[Stu Jackson]

One of the earliest suggestions from skippers who "knew stuff" was to get rid of those plastic things and buy real metal shift levers.  This was in 1987.  I berthed next to a skipper in 2002 who hadn't gotten the message yet.  I told him.  He didn't bother and told me a year later his had broken off in his hand at a really bad moment.  Your boat, your choice.   

[scgunner]

Porchhound,

Just as a point of interest that shift lever looks like it broke off at the weak point (mine did the same) then the PO just sanded and smoothed the stub. I replaced mine with the S/S ones as in Noah's post, I'd recommend you do the same although 30 years ago when I replaced mine they were significantly cheaper.

[Ron Hill]

Porch : If your short shifter is (a rubber ducky) then it's an original Edson that probably broke OFF.  There have been numerous posts about the rubber originals breaking - When someone was going IN or OUT of the slip and faced a CATASTROPHY !!!  That "rubber" shifter is in Critical Updates - OLD topic!!  It's OLD stuff. MANY MANY POSTS on this "Rubber Ducky" shifter !!!

Like I previously posted I took my SS shifter and bent it on a hydraulic press so it did hit the pedestal guard and prevent the transmission from fully engaging!!

A few thoughts

[Stu Jackson]

That "rubber" shifter may or may not be in Critical Updates?? It's OLD stuff. MANY MANY POSTS on this "Rubber Ducky" shifter !!!

Yes, Ron, of course it is in Critical Upgrades, past #8, first page:

https://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5078.msg31131.html#msg31131

Folks should also read the linked thread, it's chilling: Sheared bolt on Edson pedestal gear shift lever - https://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4312.0.html

But more importantly, it explains HOW TO avoid the new ss levers from hitting the binnacle guard.  It's been there since the CU topic was posted, in 2009, and the "fix" was written a DECADE AGO.

We're here to help you avoid reinventing the wheel.   

[Ron Hill]

Porch :Examining your picture - it looks to me like a Previous Owner broke or cut off the top part of that shifter and sanded down the edges!!

A thought

[Porchhound]

Is this the shifter bolt that shears? I don't know if it's normal for the shifting mechanism to have that much resistance from the helm but, when operated from the tranny there is no resistance, and the lever moves as it should. Obviously something is amiss in the lever mechanism, but it remains a mystery why it doesn't show up when shifted from below. I'm going to contact Edson on Monday and get the upgrade parts I need
.

[Ron Hill]

Porch : Yes, that bolt broke.  It's been sooo long ago - that I recall it is a strange thread and the replacement is from Edson.???  It's been 30 years, but that's what I seem to recall !   

A thought

[Porchhound]

I seem to recall Edson having a warning that their new controls required drilling out and tapping due to a thread change.

[Ron Hill]

Porch : As I recall I just took the old bolts from the rubber shifter and used them in the new SS shifters.  There was a date? given that I knew that my 1988 C34 had good, not faulty Chinses bolts. 

I'll guess that your 1987 C34 shifters have good bolts and should directly fit the new SS shifters???

A thought

[Stu Jackson]

Obviously something is amiss in the lever mechanism, but it remains a mystery why it doesn't show up when shifted from below. I'm going to contact Edson on Monday and get the upgrade parts I need
.

PH, your definition of "lever mechanism" and mine may differ.  Please excuse me, for I am an engineer, and specificity is my middle name...  But, you have two ends of the system:  the lever itself and the plate at the transmission end, right?

What's in the middle?

The cable, which from all reports I've ever read is, uhm, mission critical, too. 

So I define lever mechanism as including the cable, which you may not have.

Good luck.

[Porchhound]

Thanks, Stu. Here is my reasoning:
1.  With the cable still attached and the transmission shifted at the plate, everything is smooth and the handles move without a problem at the pedestal.
2.  Shifting from the pedestal, there is considerable drag from F-N, N-R, R-N
3. When I am below and Joan is shifting from the pedestal I can hear a mechanical "clunk" as she goes through the gear shifts mentioned above and I can feel it in the cable. It is coming from what seems to be the bottom area of the pedestal.

Therefore: It seems it cannot be the cable if it shifts normally from the plate. It cannot be the transmission if it shifts easily by hand. It cannot be the shift lever if it goes through each change when shifted from below. Something is happening inside the pedestal below the shifting lever. I don't know if this model had the cable clamp that secures both cables and is fastened to the pedestal. I'll have to remove the auto helm to see if that screw is there, 6" below there steering column.

Which of my assumptions above are off base (?)...maybe that's where I need to focus.

[Stu Jackson]

Therefore: It seems it cannot be the cable if it shifts normally from the plate. It cannot be the transmission if it shifts easily by hand. It cannot be the shift lever if it goes through each change when shifted from below. Something is happening inside the pedestal below the shifting lever. I don't know if this model had the cable clamp that secures both cables and is fastened to the pedestal. I'll have to remove the auto helm to see if that screw is there, 6" below there steering column.

Which of my assumptions above are off base (?)...maybe that's where I need to focus.

Now I understand.  But we almost are in agreement: whether the interference is within the cable or from something that is external to the cable but interfering with its operation, it's still the danged cable.

Happy hunting, look forward to a pleasant solution.

[Porchhound]

Yep. I'll post the solution when it shows itself.