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  1. Lou C

    Best way to connect 6 awg to 14 awg stranded wire

    Even tho it’s said not to solder for marine wiring sometimes it’s tough to properly crimp different gauge wire.
  2. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    Those do appear to be larger than what is on the older versions of these engines, but in the same location. Here's what the one on the starboard side of my old 1988 looks like, the OMC had a 90* fitting there to clear the large size original Delco starter, which has been replaced with a smaller...
  3. Lou C

    89 OMC Cobra Gas Leak Carburetor

    That's a Rochester Quadrajet 4bbl and the place where it's leaking is the primary throttle shaft. While the bushings can wear out, it is not that common, and a leak there can be caused by a leaking needle valve or stuck or mis-adjusted float. Mine did that luckily before I had put it in the...
  4. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    Also don't forget the block drain on the other side, the pix from the Volvo manual show you the drains on both sides of the block...and poke the holes to make sure all the water drains.
  5. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    Well I would guess that as far as the intake goes most of the water drains when you pull the bottom end of the big hose so that sounds OK to me. As far as spring start up with an empty engine I never liked that idea and would fill the engine & manifolds with water first. Another tip: Put your...
  6. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    I doubt that that would be enough to freeze, it’s gotta be at 28 or below for at least 8 hrs for it to cause damage.
  7. Lou C

    OMC COBRA 5.8 EFI and ESA

    I bought both the pressure & vacuum testers and as long as you have a boat with either I/O or outboard they are useful to troubleshoot problems and water in the gear oil is a common issue with both. I would be curious to see what the drag on your cable is, and if the bell crank in the pivot...
  8. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    That looks like it; these are a little different than the ones on my older pre-Vortec 4.3. Just make sure that the Allen wrench really fits right, there are both metric and US inch sizes, if it doesn’t want to come out try heating the cast iron around it. With those plugs I would coat the...
  9. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    Yes just make sure to properly drain it, antifreeze is optional. I get all my stuff ahead of time in late Sept Pull the boat in late Oct within a week of pulling it, it is fully winterized and the drive is off. next I put the winter storage cover on and that's it. Here's an old pic.....
  10. Lou C

    Can I Tell if Water is Getting into the U-Joint Bellows?

    Sometimes yes but by the time you notice it you have a bigger problem with rusty gimble &u joints. It’s a misconception that a leaky bellows will sink the boat with the I/O. With the OMC Cobra & Volvo SX drives a small amount of water can get past the gimble bearing but there is a seal behind...
  11. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    5 gallons is more than enough I’d use the West Marine -100 right out of the jug….
  12. Lou C

    Gimbal bearing lubrication without zirc fitting

    The gimble bearings are different, the greaseable one has a hole in the cage that lets the grease go thru, if you can install the grease tube and the fitting it may work, I would carefully seal both ends of the tube with Evinrude gasket sealer...
  13. Lou C

    Winterizing 4.3 VP Gxi

    There is a P/S cooler at the rear of the engine, in line with the water intake hose, same as the Cobra, what I do is disconnect that raw water intake hose, hold it down to drain it, then hold it up and fill with -100 AF till the AF runs out the water intakes on the drive (put the drive level...
  14. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    I agree, there have been a few reports of those cracking, but it's kind of hard to see why it wouldn't drain when you pull the bottom end of the big hose on the circulating pump. And the Pre Vortec like mine doesn't have that drain. Not sure what the changed, but the water passage might be a bit...
  15. Lou C

    Running Volvo Penta 4.3GL with outdrive removed?

    That part is actually plastic. and they can crack and leak! What I did was run my water hose to the thermostat housing but the OMC Cobra had the impeller in the drive unlike the Volvo so it was a bit simpler. If you like you can just disconnect the feed hose to the impeller, measure the ID of...
  16. Lou C

    OMC COBRA 5.8 EFI and ESA

    Sounds like you tried to cover all the bases... questions... did you check the drag of the shift cable with it disconnected at both ends with a fish scale? should be not more than 2.5 lbs, the drag on the cable is pretty important... also if you shifted the lower unit when it's off the boat...
  17. Lou C

    Running Volvo Penta 4.3GL with outdrive removed?

    Just make sure the hose stays in place because if it falls off the impeller will burn as well as the rubber exhaust hoses below the exhaust elbows.
  18. Lou C

    Running Volvo Penta 4.3GL with outdrive removed?

    Yep at idle most will come out the bottom of the transom mount but some will come thru the exhaust bellows
  19. Lou C

    Running Volvo Penta 4.3GL with outdrive removed?

    Yes that’s how to do it. I would stick a rag in the driveshaft bellows because water may splash out of the exhaust bellows right underneath the driveshaft bellows.,
  20. Lou C

    OMC COBRA 5.8 EFI and ESA

    https://www.westmarine.com/dometic-xtreme-side-mount-control-18874594.html?queryID=bb904f4a4c91f10261674604486e1695&objectID=18874594&indexName=production_na01_westmarine_demandware_net__WestMarine__products__en_US Like this but check if our sponsor iboats sells something similar….
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