Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

[badman]

Hi all. I am servicing the OMC stringer drive without a manual here and in need of some help. Pictures are attached with numeric markings linked to questions.

Questions...
1 Which oil does the drive tilt worm drive housing take ? i reckon gear oil like EP90..
2 Where can i get a gasket set for the servicable housings of this drive? So far they have all crumbled. Cani use auto grade silicon?

3 What goes in the user servicable apertures at the top of the drive? See picture. Each area marked 1, 2and 3. grease or oil?
4 What type of oil goes into the filler hole for the lower gear casing and prop shaft bearings etc?
5 is the imaged marked 4 just an aperture for cleaning the waterway in the lower part of the gear casing?
6 The drive tilits up and down very quickly. can i slow this down by resisting the current? it looks like it would do damage going so quick.
7 Should or could there be a microswitch to cut out the relay when the drive is at its lowest and highest position? Or is this too advanced for the drive given its age?
8 On the prop bearing casing there are 4 screws to fasten it and 4 other threaded screw holes which are blind. Are these needed or are they to screw something on to take a different prop? see picture


Older images and videocan found at the usual web url plus the video of the army truck lifting the boat at the workshop :
http://www.tribidium.com/matt/red-boats.html
Its quite amusing.

many thanks
matt

 

[DukesFin]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

First of all, if ever there was an outdrive that you HAVE to have a good service manual for, the STRINGER is it! Go get one now.

Secondly, what exactly is your purpose for taking it apart? Was something broken/not working, or did you just start pulling it apart, hoping to "service" it and get her cleaned up? This is NOT the drive to just start pulling things off of.

The tilt is fast. It will be fast unless something is wrong with it. Don't mess with it trying to slow it down. With stringer's tilt, there are two positions: UP and DOWN. Do NOT run the drive unless it is in the DOWN position. You will destroy the ball gears.

When I had mine, I would get a lot of my parts from go2marine.com . You will find some parts here.

There are specific sets of gaskets, usually sold in an "upper" or "lower" kit. I'm guessing you need both of them now.

Lower unit gets OMC Type "C" gear lube.

I can't remember what the tilt worm gear gets. Mine worked, so I didn't touch it!

Don't put anything in "1" "2" or "3". Those are water passages. You need new o-rings and cork washers there for sure, now that you've taken it apart. They will (should) be in the seal kit for the upper unit.

I can't help you with "4". Sorry.

Good luck... You've opened up one nasty can of worms for sure! (Though by the looks of that site and your post here, I'd bet you are going to enjoy it!)

 

[badman]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

thanks for the reaply.
Reasons for opening the servicable housings are to check for build up of foreign matter and salt and for dmage.
It was strongly suggested that i do this by folk on this forum.
Believe me i am not planning to separate the upper from the lower casing or anything like that.
lso, this boat was abandoned in a barn with sea water in tyhe engine and wherever else it lay and i would be mad to not check for oil and whatever considering it last ran 7 years ago!

gaskets were powder anyway and i am glad i have discovered this because in the case of the tilt gear/bearing water was causing serious damage.

I will probably make my own gaskets from gasket material.

thanks for letting me know which ones were waterways.

Ball gears are worn and in dire need of grease.

Not many parts for this here in England so will certainly look at the website you linked.

cheers

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

Whem you lower the drive, you do it in steps...hit the button...wait...hit the button..wait...

You don't want it to slam down.

You have a VERY old stringer drive.

 

[badman]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

I concur.
Do it in stages indeed.
its 'old but quick'... like an e type jag but with less style!
Who wants to bet how many hours run i can get out of this thing before it goes puff and i have to buy an outboard!

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

.... Ball gears are worn and in dire need of grease....

You don't grease the ball gears. They are both 'lubed' and cooled by the water. Later versions had a deflecter at the top of the 'gear' set to keep water in constant contact with them.

What year is this beauty, anyway? Is this the one coupled to that little Ford V4?

 

[badman]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

hey wizeone! where have you been?!
good to hear you are out there.
yes, its that one! The V4 is rocking now so will be looking to mate it up as soon as i have finished the mani's and the new conversion plate (ali).
was trying to remember your suggestions for when i started on the drive.
doesn't seem too bad inside. a few areas like waterway area 1 and 2 (see the image) were full of salt and oxidised ali but other than that it seems ok.

most bolts are extremely tight and i will be leaving it all alone now i think!

Can you tell me why areas 1,2 and 3 are there at all? are they placed at bends in the waterway route so blockages can be cleared?

cheers.
matt

 

[badman]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

oh yes....
whatn is the exct description of the omc manual?
it seems to be the best one to get out of the three. clymer. omc and seloc.
i think i have found one here in devon.
cheers

 

[badman]

Re: Help greasing and oiling OMC Stringer drive

haven't worked out what year the drive is yet.