Please help looking at a boat tomorrow

[Jesparza87]

I am looking at a 92 Reinell 20’ boat with a 4.3 omc engine. The owner just called me to tell me that he noticed the propeller spins in reverse but not with power? Should I stay away or is this an easy fix?

 

[racerone]

OMC sterndrives are not at the top of the hit parade.-----Many shops will not work on them.------But if you know tools and mechanical work it can work out for you.

 

[southkogs]

OMCs been out of the stern drive business since the mid 90s. On the Cobra's parts are still pretty available, but like racerone said sometimes you can't find anyone to work on 'em. Merc and Volvo are more popular.

I'm not quite following the description of what's wrong. When out of gear the prop should spin pretty freely. If in reverse, you're not spinning with the shaft ... it's broken. Could be a couple of different things. Until I knew otherwise, I'd assume it's the expensive things ... like new lower unit.

 

[Jesparza87]

OMC sterndrives are not at the top of the hit parade.-----Many shops will not work on them.------But if you know tools and mechanical work it can work out for you.

Ok

OMCs been out of the stern drive business since the mid 90s. On the Cobra's parts are still pretty available, but like racerone said sometimes you can't find anyone to work on 'em. Merc and Volvo are more popular.

I'm not quite following the description of what's wrong. When out of gear the prop should spin pretty freely. If in reverse, you're not spinning with the shaft ... it's broken. Could be a couple of different things. Until I knew otherwise, I'd assume it's the expensive things ... like new lower unit.

yea the guy said when he puts it in reverse it spins but very slowly as of it has no power in comparison to when it spins in forward drive

 

[bruceb58]

Run away. Find a boat with a Mercruiser or a Volvo drive.

 

[tpenfield]

Welcome to iBoats . . .

No such thing as an easy fix with outdrives, and OMC is OOB as mentioned.

 

[Lou C]

I have one and have owned it 18+ years, it’s been great very few repairs. But I wouldn’t advise someone to buy one now, very few shops will work on them. I have lots of spares and the shop manual and some special OMC tools. But for the average person just forget about I/O boats to start. Get a modern 4 stroke outboard on a 20’ boat make your life easy. I wouldn’t buy another I/O of any brand under any circumstances.

 

[jerryjerry05]

ANYTHING but an OMC Cobra

 

[Jesparza87]

I have purchased a sea ray instead with a mercruiser engine thanks for the help fellas

 

[Lou C]

Quite honestly I wouldn’t buy an old Merc I/O here either the transom mounts fall apart in salt water. The Cobra transom assembly holds up better by far. No leaks no rotted steering arms no play in the hinge pins. I have not had to replace any major component in the drive since I bought it in 2002. The Cobra problems were due to bad shift cables the 1st 2 years of production and mechanics not learning how to adjust them. With the 3 special tools 🛠 taught myself how to adjust it one day in about 2 hrs. Still shifts with 2 fingers. But would I tell a beginner to buy one? No I would not. I myself have a nice freshwater used Cobra spare drive sitting in the garage if I ever need it. Also bought a complete nice freshwater transom assembly. Cobra parts are a bargain if you know what to buy. Also have trim rams, Y pipe and steering cylinder/valve.

 

[Jesparza87]

Quite honestly I wouldn’t buy an old Merc I/O here either the transom mounts fall apart in salt water. The Cobra transom assembly holds up better by far. No leaks no rotted steering arms no play in the hinge pins. I have not had to replace any major component in the drive since I bought it in 2002. The Cobra problems were due to bad shift cables the 1st 2 years of production and mechanics not learning how to adjust them. With the 3 special tools 🛠 taught myself how to adjust it one day in about 2 hrs. Still shifts with 2 fingers. But would I tell a beginner to buy one? No I would not. I myself have a nice freshwater used Cobra spare drive sitting in the garage if I ever need it. Also bought a complete nice freshwater transom assembly. Cobra parts are a bargain if you know what to buy. Also have trim rams, Y pipe and steering cylinder/valve.

Thanks for the help I dove in and bought the sea ray, this is my first boat purchase so I will see how it goes. The previous owner had paperwork on all the work that was done and the boat itself is in very good condition in my opinion.

 

[bruceb58]

Looks like the Volvo drive. What engine?

 

[Jesparza87]

4.3 mercruiser v6 engine

 

[Jesparza87]

Looks like the Volvo drive. What engine?

It’s a 4.3 mercruiser engine he said it’s a v6

 

[racerone]

--Volvo uses the GM blocks .----One picture is not really enough.----A few more pictures help.

 

[Scott Danforth]

looks like a late 80's or an early 90's seville. if so, they came with a 3.0 from SeaRay. the motor may have been swapped.

 

[Jesparza87]

It’s an 89 seville I’ll need to look into that a majority of the parts are still from the manufacturer from what I saw I’ll take pics after breakfast maybe you guys can tell me more

 

[racerone]

For a few years the SEARAY folks did use Mercury / Mercruiser products and they were painted white.

 

[Scott Danforth]

For a few years the SEARAY folks did use Mercury / Mercruiser products and they were painted white.

for 1988 and 1989, SeaRay private labeled the Mercruiser drives. maybe these were the white ones?

 

[bruceb58]

Yep. I remebr those white Mercruisers.