Morse Throttle Control Adjustment?

[Bustlebomb]

The thread on Throttle Controls brought up a question for me….

So I’ve got two helm stations, one on the flybridge and one in the main cabin. When the engine is at idle, both throttle levers (upper and lower) are pulled back to the stop. From the lower station, if I advance the starboard engine off idle and then pull it back to the stop, the engine returns to idle. From the flybridge, if I advance the throttle off idle and then pull it back to the stop, the engine’s RPMs remain higher than idle. When I go to the lower station, the throttle lever is not pulled all the way back to the stop. When I pull it back from the lower station, idle returns to normal.

Obviously, I need to be able to get to idle from the flybridge. I’m sure there is some kind of an adjustment that needs to be made to sync up the throttle levers but I’m not sure where to start.

The controls are Morse brand and they feed into a Glendinning engine synchronizer.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Billylll]

How old are the cables? Sometimes the upper's can bind as they age. If they aren't that old I'm told there are some tricks to try with lubricating the cables. I would like to know if or how you can lubricate sticking cables to get as much life out of them as possible?
Bill

 

[psneeld]

The easiest way I have found is put an oz or two of whatever lube you want to use...some use diesel, some WD40, some 3:1 oil....some use a combo...whatever you wish into a zip lock bag/plastic bag.

Undo the cable from the control station, stick the end of the cable and past where it enters the sheath into the zip lock bag as you pinch around it. Tape the bag to the sheath and hang it up for a day or so or until the lube is gone....and hopefully a telltale sign at the other end.

There are fancy lubricators for cables...I think someone here suggested a motorcycle shop would have them...never used one as the bag trick works most of the time...but it is usually only a temp fix. If the cable is rusting or something has happened that it's internally binding...often they go pretty fast.

 

[Bustlebomb]

As a new owner, I have no idea how old the cables are but the flybridge cables don't feel like they are binding at all. The lower helm controls are tighter than the upper controls but still not outrageously tight. I'll try to lube them but I'm still wondering if there is a way to adjust them....

 

[psneeld]

As a new owner, I have no idea how old the cables are but the flybridge cables don't feel like they are binding at all. The lower helm controls are tighter than the upper controls but still not outrageously tight. I'll try to lube them but I'm still wondering if there is a way to adjust them....

Yes they can be adjusted.....but not sure that's the issue.

Which is the slave engine for the Glendenning?

I don't think it could be the Glendenning (been a long time since I worked on them...but I will be trouble shooting a Hynautic Throttle system and Glendenning early next week so I'll brush back up on the Glendenning)...

If the throttle easier to move on the flybridge than it is from the lower station...often the upper cable is binding and makes the throttles spongy and they don't return or stay where they should.

 

[Bustlebomb]

psneeld,

Good question...I believe the starboard engine is the "slave" engine but I'll have to check when I go back to the boat on Sunday.

What you say makes sense regarding the throttle cables binding. The flybridge controls are easier to move. Sounds like a cable lubrication project is coming up.....

 

[markpierce]

Sure glad I've only one bridge/throttle control (and one engine.)

 

[psneeld]

psneeld,

Good question...I believe the starboard engine is the "slave" engine but I'll have to check when I go back to the boat on Sunday.

What you say makes sense regarding the throttle cables binding. The flybridge controls are easier to move. Sounds like a cable lubrication project is coming up.....

The easier ones to move are the ones that usually need the lube. You have the lever advantage and they are not fighting the other cable. The hard ones to move are usually good because they don't have the leverage against the bad cable...

Sounds weird ...and I hope someone will back me up on it as that's the standard wherever I have worked and have seen happen.

 

[Billylll]

The easier ones to move are the ones that usually need the lube. You have the lever advantage and they are not fighting the other cable. The hard ones to move are usually good because they don't have the leverage against the bad cable...

Sounds weird ...and I hope someone will back me up on it as that's the standard wherever I have worked and have seen happen.

I can't back you up but what you are saying makes sense. I'll let you know my uppers are a bit stiff but they work and properly control the throttle and transmissions.
Bill

 

[bglad]

I will back you up on that one. It is my experience the control lever that is tight has a good cable and the easy one has a bad cable. I like your rationale as well as any other I have heard.

The easier ones to move are the ones that usually need the lube. You have the lever advantage and they are not fighting the other cable. The hard ones to move are usually good because they don't have the leverage against the bad cable...

Sounds weird ...and I hope someone will back me up on it as that's the standard wherever I have worked and have seen happen.

 

[Shoalwaters]

I doubt that lubricating the cables will do much good, but it is hard to resist trying. Cleaning and lubricating the lever controls may be worth while. If you decide to replace the cables, this thread may help.

 

[stone beach]

Do you have a parallel installation or a tandem installation ?

If your main cabin control is the "main" control station, then you would be better not to use the "stops" within the fly bridge controls, or, if you really want to keep them, adjust them so that the fly bridge "stop" is not the first "stop" you contact when operating from fly bridge

With lost motion in the cables (hysteresis) what you are describing is almost inevitable if you try to use a "stop" within both sets of controls. Of course, any cable friction, bad routing / sharp bends or lack of lubrication will all act to make this effect more pronounced and should be corrected.

If the main cabin lever "stops" are the ones that are acting to limit the cable movement regardless of which lever you are actually using your problem should be resolved

Can be the other way round if fly bridge is the "main" control station, important thing is to only have the "stops" active in one of the two controls and to only apply the friction brake screw in whichever is the "main" station lever

 

[Bustlebomb]

It was an adjustment! Where the cable from the upper station connects to the lower station laver, there is a nut (barrel nut?) on the end of the cable. This nut was finger tight and had backed off the end of the cable. When the upper control was pulled back, it didn't allow the bottom end to pull all the way back to where it needed to be. A quick tightening and all is good. Both stations work as they are supposed to.

This was a nice relief as I wasn't looking forward to running new throttle cables in the tight cable chase that goes up to the flybridge.

On to the next project!

(Sorry for the delayed resolution. I always have the best intentions of getting the solution back into the thread but other projects seem to intervene. It bugs me when someone asks a question on a forum and gets 10 different solutions but never takes the time to respond with what actually fixed the problem).

 

[Irish Rambler]

May I explain a related modification I've just completed you may find useful.
The problem arose when I bought another boat and wanted a bow thruster, I had watched a skipper trying to moor his boat in a marina, he had twin engines with 2 throttle controls, 2 gear controls, bow and stern thruster controls and basically it was like watching a farmer trying to ride a race horse, you can guess the result, he got all flustered, cocked it up and hit another boat causing damage to his, and the other boat.
I always try to improve my close quarter handling skills and have never caused any damage, and hopefully never will.
I came up with the idea of fitting singe handed controls to eliminate this.
I used a CH 74 series single lever Morse control and used the trim switch for the bow thruster giving me one handed control over 3 operations, gear, throttle and thruster.
I discussed this with Parks Masterson at Hopcar marine via this forum, he was very helpful and supportive unlike the so called 'engineers' at my local Morse distributor,he also supplied me with the controls.
From personal experience I recommend his company highly, I live in France and Ireland and he's in the USA, I have no financial connection other than to recommend him from a very satisfied customers viewpoint.
Here's what I have done.
I replaced the normal Morse single lever with a CH 74 series Morse control with trim switch, the only slight hitch was that the Vetus bow thruster controls had 4 wires, the Morse had 3 so I used a changeover switch between upper and lower helms to fix that.
Sea trials have proved this to be a resounding success and a child of 5 (figuratively speaking) could helm the boat, it's so simple.
I hope you find this is helpful, all donations to my retirement fund please and I'll spend it on the very best Irish Whiskey (we need the exports)and loose women, I'll blow the rest.