OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

[Bob197]

In recent years, my OMC 800 has been baulky.Sometimes it raises and sometimes it does not. <br />Somehow, the gear train seems to jam.When I loosen the 3 bolts holding the "moon" gear it frees up and I can raise the unit.but if I lower it hard (hold the lower switch down from a fully raised position, so as to slam it into the down position, it jams.<br /> Heree's what I have tried.<br /> 1.Replaced the tilt motor.<br /> 2.Lubrication the bearings thoroghly so when the outdrive is disconnedted from the "moon" gear, it is free.<br /> 3.Re-installed the original tilt motor which has a lot more tork than the the new after market uni I bought.<br /> 4.Replaced the wiring with heavy guage wire.<br /> 5.Replaced the batteries.<br /> 6.Disassembled and cleaned the worm gear assy. <br /> <br /><br /> If I lower the unit by tapping the "lower" switch and keep the bolts loose on th "moon" gear,<br />it will raise quickly and without hesitation.But , again, if lowered hard, it will still lock down until I loosen the bolts further..<br /><br /> Is there a trick to assembling the moon gear ? <br /> Anyone experiece this problem and if so how did you fix it?<br /><br /> Any comments would be welcome.<br /><br /> Thanks,

 

[Boatist]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

When lowering do the two guide pins possibly get stuck in the alignment holes. Have your greased the Alignment pins and made sure no burrs on them. also there is a flat alignment support when the outdrive the outdirve is all the way down. This rubs on a surface of the intermediat houseing. You might check and see if this surface is smooth or rough where it could get stuck. This surface is about same level as the exhaust outflow.<br /><br />Could also be the worm gear bushing worn and when get torque going down get off center.<br /><br />I hope you will come back with the fix when you find it as your is not the normal problem.<br /><br />So if you do not lower all the way will always lift back up easy?

 

[Bob197]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

Thanks for the response. The guide pins are lubricated and the unit is free when the "moon" gear is removed.(I have had other jamming problems in the past.The worm gear shaft actually broke and I had to replace it last year).<br />Yes,if I do not lower the outdrive all the way,it will always come back up.

 

[fendersfender]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

Mine does the same thing, I have twins and they both do it...its in herent to these drives...poor design...I have learned to live with it...i just play with the switch until they move

 

[Boatist]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

My 1980 will raise fully every time in a count of 3. It will lower all the way with a 1/4 second on tap down. Been that way every since I removed all the old grease from the pivot pins and then re lubbed. Before I did that some times it would raise 3 inches sometimes all the way.

 

[Bob197]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

Thands all.<br />I guess i'll have to live with it.But it bugs me not to understand what's going on.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

It sounds like your intermediate housing might be distorted. The two bearings have to be in very good alignment on a horizontal plane. Not as critical as main brgs. in a an engine or anything, but they have to be pretty close. The L and R caps have to stay on the L and R sides. And caps from one boat cant be switched to another boat. They're align-bored at manuf. That aluminum intermediate housing can get out of whack if the boat ever gets parked in the rocks.<br />There's a fancy alignment bar shown in the factory manual for checking.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

Oh, there are also washers under the lock washers of the moon gear bolts- assemble it without them, and the moon will twist a bit sideways because the upper housing has a radius there....

 

[Bob197]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

Appreciate the additional comments on alignment .Thanks,but the outdrive is free with the "moon" gear loose or removed.So if it is alignment,why does it bind with the gear in place?

 

[emsisson]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

It still sounds as if the problem is the quadrant placing its side load on the bearings. The trunnion liners are lubed and are in place on the trunnion bearings? When you bolt everything back up do you tighten the pivot caps first to center the drive before tightening the trunnion bolts? When I'm remounting the outdrive I find it easier if I lift the bottom of the outdrive with one hand to relieve tension while tightening the pivot caps to allow them to center everything. At this point I have the trunnion bearings at least a couple of full turns loose to allow centering. After the pivot caps are torqued, then I torque the trunnion caps tight. If you've done all this and it still binds, it sounds as if something is bent somewhere.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: OMC 800 Outdrive Locks in the Down position

Originally posted by Bob197:<br /> Appreciate the additional comments on alignment .Thanks,but the outdrive is free with the "moon" gear loose or removed.So if it is alignment,why does it bind with the gear in place?

Could be your intermediate housing is distorted and therefore the tilt clutch area is at an angle in relation to the trunnion caps...<br />You say "in recent years"<br />Did the boat hit something years ago?<br />Could also be that leaving the quadrant loose allows the tilt motor to "get a run" at it... Electric motors always work better with a running start. The hammer blow coupling (some guy on eBay is selling this part as "brass knockers" haha)gives it a bit, but loose quadrant gives it even better run.