What is the distance on the outboard motor: the device and the choice

Many small boat owners are faced with the challenge of modernizing their management, and standard handling with a dumpling directly on the lower unit is convenient for slow speeds and fishing in the thickets, but it becomes tedious with long transitions. remote-control (often referred to simply as a "distance"), which carries the levers of gas and gear shifts into the captain's comfort zone.

The essence of the system is to transfer mechanical force from the operator to the engine through special cables. Yamaha, Tohatsu or Mercurywithout getting out of the seat or reaching for the gas handle. remote-control It radically changes the ergonomics of the boat, freeing up space in the bow and allowing you to install a dashboard with sensors.

But installing a carburettor system is not just a replacement of a handle, it's a set of jobs that requires understanding the design of the cables, the mounting and setting of the carburettor or ECU. Incorrect installation can lead to the fact that the motor will stall at idle or not develop full speed. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances so that you can properly equip your boat.

⚠️ Attention: Setting the distance on the outboard motor requires technical skills. If you are not confident in your abilities when working with the fuel system and electricity, it is better to entrust the installation to professionals, as errors can lead to fire or loss of control on the water.

Design features of the remote control system

The basis of any distance system are cables, which are essentially flexible shafts in a braid. The standard kit for converting a tiller engine usually uses two main elements: the cable. gas-gas cable gearshiftSometimes they are combined into one block, but more often they go separately for ease of gasket.

The gearshift cable is responsible for moving the forward-neutral-back rod, and inside the braid is a steel cable that pushes or pulls the mechanism in lower unit when the lever moves, and the quality of this element determines the clarity of the gear switching on and the absence of backlashes, and the gas cable is connected to the carburetor throttle or injection engine throttle.

The most important element is the block. machine-maker And that's where the levers are controlled by the operator, and inside that node are the mechanisms for locking the lever in neutral position and the safety switch is the death button, or kill switchWithout pressing this button, sparking on the candles is blocked, and the engine will not start.

• 🔧 Cables: The standard sets usually include 3 meters, but larger boats require elongated versions up to 5-6 meters.
• ⚙️ Control machine: It can be single-lever (gas and transmission in one movement) and double-lever (separate levers), which is important to consider when choosing.
• ⚡ Electric: The set includes a wire harness for connecting the ignition lock, tachometer and emergency switch.

⚠️ Attention: When laying cables, it is critical to observe a minimum bend radius. The cracks and inflections of the braid will lead to rapid destruction of the inner vein and jamming of the control on the go.

Types of remote levers and their differences

The choice of a remote control is a matter of personal comfort and budget, with options ranging from simple mechanical units to complex electronic systems, and understanding the difference between them will help avoid unnecessary costs.

The most common option is single-leverIn this case, the lever's forward motion first selects the forward gear, and the further movement adds gas. To turn the reverse, the lever is pulled back. This is convenient and intuitive, takes up little space. However, such models are often more expensive because of the more complex internal mechanics.

Two-lever systems are designed to operate separately, one lever is only responsible for the choice of gear (forward-neutral-back), and the other is solely responsible for adding revs. This is a classic scheme for large boats that allows you to maneuver at low speeds with high accuracy. For fishing, where you need to sneak up silently to a point, this is ideal.

Electronic control systems should be mentioned (Electronic Shift and ThrottleThey don't have a mechanical link between the lever and the motor. The lever sends an electrical signal to the engine's servos. These systems are mounted on powerful motors (usually 70-90 hp or higher), but there are retrofit kits for redesigning conventional motors, which provide smoothness that is unattainable by mechanics.

Type of machine	Number of levers	Complexity of installation	Price.
Single-lever (Single)	1	Medium	High.
Double lever (Double)	2	Medium	Medium
Electronic (ES)	1 or 2	High.	Very high.
Side mount (Side mount)	1	Low.	Low.

What's a side machine?

The side mount is mounted sideways to the side of the deck or console, rather than to the deck plane, the cheapest and easiest option, often with motors, but less convenient for precise control, since the lever runs on a large arc on the side.

The process of setting the distance on the tiller motor

Remodeling the tiller motor to a distance is a critical procedure, requiring the removal of the lower unit covers, the dismantling of the tiller and the installation of new components, before starting work, be sure to disconnect the fuel hose and remove the terminals from the battery.

The first step is to dismantle the hummingbird. Yamaha 9.9 or Hidea 9.9The humcle is mounted with multiple bolts, and when it's removed, you can access the gear selection and throttle valve, and you need to install adapters that come with the distance, and they allow you to connect the cables to the normal mounting points.

The most time-consuming step is to lay the cables, the cables must go as straight as possible, without sharp turns, in places of passage through bulkheads or transverses, rubber seals must be used to prevent the braiding from rubbing against metal or fiberglass. The cables are fastened to the boat hull with clamps every 50-60 cm.

After the ropes are mechanically installed, the length of the cables must be adjusted; the nuts at the ends of the cables allow the throttle to open fully at maximum lever stroke and close completely at idle speed. Equally important is the gear shift adjustment: the lever must be clearly fixed in forward and back positions.

The critical point is to synchronize the moment the throttle is opened and the gear is turned on. Gas should only start to be added after the transmission is fully switched on. If the gas goes earlier, the motor can roar on the neutral or turn on the gear will occur with a shock.

Electrical circuit and connection of devices

Distance setting is impossible without interfering with the motor's electrical circuitry. tiller motors often have minimal electricity, whereas distance requires connecting the ignition lock, tachometer and emergency switch.

The ignition lock usually has several contacts, the main ones being power (Battery), ignition (Ignition), starter (Start) and sometimes charging (Charge). When you turn the key, you close the contacts that supply voltage to the ignition coil. It is important to use wires with a cross section of at least 1.5-2 mm2 to avoid a voltage drop.

Connection scheme (conditional):
Red wire -> + Battery (through fuse)
Black wire -> Mass (on the body of the motor)
Yellow/Red -> Stop engine
Blue -> Starter (via relay)

Special attention should be paid switch-off. On a tiller motor, it's often at the end of the humming machine. When you go a distance, that contact is transferred to the car block. If you forget to insert the insurance key or it flies out when you snatch, the ignition circuit has to open, the engine is silenced. That's a requirement of GIMS safety and common sense.

• 🔌 Tachometer: connects to the output "W" on the stator or through a special connector, if the motor supports a digital network.
• 🔋 Charging: When setting a distance, it is often possible to connect a rectifier-regulator to charge the battery in the boat.
• 🛑 Stop button: It shall be duplicated by a retractable button in the bow of the boat, if the design permits.

Adjustment and adjustment of control cables

After installation, there is a fine-tuning phase, and misadjustment is the main cause of problems with the new distance, and the engine may not keep idling or develop full power.

Start by adjusting the gear. In the neutral position of the gear lever, the gear selector rod should be in the middle. If it's not, the motor can spontaneously turn on the idle, which is dangerous. The adjustment is done by twisting or twisting the tip of the cable on the rod.

Then the gas is adjusted. With the lever completely lowered, the valve must be completely closed (or open to the idle value, depending on the design). When the lever is fully moved, the valve must open to 100%. If it opens only 80%, you lose power. If it is more than 100%, you can damage the mechanism.

Check the lever force. It should be uniform. If the lever is stuck in any position, check the cable track. It may be clamped or rubbed against the side. Lubricating the cables with a special lubricant for the cables (not lithium, which thickens in the cold) will prolong their life.

⚠️ Warning: Never leave gaps in the cable connections. The luft in the threaded connections will cause the lever in the boat to move, and the motor will not react until all the backlash is out.

Frequent problems and their solution

Even with good installation, there are nuances, and owners often find that the motor will stall when you add abrupt gas, and this is a sign of desynchronization: the transmission has not yet turned on, and the gas has already gone, and the solution is to adjust the length of the gearshift cable, making it a little shorter.

Another problem is lever vibration, which is transmitted from the engine running through the cables, and it's solved by placing additional cable attachments to the structure of the boat to dampen the vibration, and it's worth checking if the cable is in the exhaust pipe or other hot parts.

If the motor stopped stalling when pulling the safety checks, the problem is the contact group inside the machine, the contacts could have oxidized from moisture, you need to disassemble the control unit, clean the contacts or replace the entire circuit breaker assembly.

Why do cables rust?

The cables rust from the inside if the braid or protective cover at the end is broken, the water gets in and flushes the grease, the solution is to regularly lubricate through special holes in the tips or replace the cables every 3-5 seasons.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Can you set the distance to any outboard motor?

Almost any two-stroke and four-stroke engine with a power of 2 to 15-20 hp can be installed universal set of distance. For motors more powerful than 20 hp often require original sets from the manufacturer, as they have a different mounting of the ramp and more complex control mechanisms.

Should I change the carburetor when setting the distance?

In 95% of cases, the carburetor does not need to be changed; the mechanism of the throttle drive remains normal, only the way it is affected (by hand through the ramper or through the cable) changes, except for rare cases of reworking of very old models of motors.

What length of cables to choose for a boat with a length of 4 meters?

For a boat 4 meters long, a standard length of cables of 3 meters (3000 mm) is usually enough. However, if the steering console is located far from the transom or the cables go a difficult way with skirting obstacles, it is better to take a kit with cables of 4 or 5 meters to have a margin.

Is it difficult to get the engine back on the romp?

No, it's reversible. You're going to need to keep the regular tiller and the fastener, and if you put it back in, you're just going to have to unscrew the adapters and screw the tiller back in, and reconnect the thrust of the gas if it's disconnected.