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  1. Lou C

    1989 OMC Cobra 350 overheating problem

    I'd test it as I described above. A bad overheat or loss of cooling water will usually toast one of them.
  2. Lou C

    Low Engine Temp??

    I love those old inline 6s, I remember when that was the standard engine on most GM midsize cars, the Chevy 250 cu in six.
  3. Lou C

    1989 OMC Cobra 350 overheating problem

    Keep in mind that idle speed will affect impeller output just like it affects oil pressure. It sounds like its idling a bit slower than normal. Set your idle at 600 and then look at it again. Something there does not add up. You are saying that it ran at the 1st hash mark which is probably 140...
  4. Lou C

    1989 OMC Cobra 350 overheating problem

    Well if you remove the housing to back flush, then hook up the muffs to flush from the bottom up, see if anything comes out of the other port in the impeller mount. I doubt it but I guess you never know. One thing I always do after replacing a Cobra impeller is run it on the water hose with the...
  5. Lou C

    1989 OMC Cobra 350 overheating problem

    That is the wrong stat, a 180* stat is too hot for raw water cooling, the standard stat for OMC Cobras was 160*. This is fine in freshwater but in salt water I use a 140* stat now, I was able to find one that fits the same OMC/Volvo stat housing (for a V/P appliction, the 7.4 liter V8). The true...
  6. Lou C

    Fried the 4th impeller kit? (OMC 2.3)

    I used to use the Tempo rectangular muffs and what I found was that the rubber tends to be too stiff to conform to the lower unit. The Merc/Quicksilver ones are much softer rubber.
  7. Lou C

    Low Engine Temp??

    Even just a flake of rust or a bit of sand can keep it from closing
  8. Lou C

    1989 OMC Cobra 350 overheating problem

    I would carefully remove the impeller housing and disconnect the raw water intake hose at the thermostat housing. Stick a garden hose in that hose and back flush the hose and see if any more impeller bits come out. Then remove the stat housing and test the stat in a pot of hot water, it should...
  9. Lou C

    Fried the 4th impeller kit? (OMC 2.3)

    Ok you will have better luck with better fitting muffs than running it in a tub. The best fitting muffs I have found are the round Merc/Quicksilver ones with the metal rod/clamp that goes through the water intake holes. You will have to drill an 1/8” hole in the plastic water screen to use these...
  10. Lou C

    Are Four Winns know to have strong hulls? Installing a tower

    you might try emailing Four Winns and asking them, I did that when I had a question about replacing the foam under the deck when I replaced most of the deck 15 years ago.
  11. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    Keep in mind that I/os used to have big cost advantage over outboards with respect to parts prices. This is no longer true and one reason is the they all have EFI now and after 2010 many have cat converter exhaust. This greatly increases repair costs and to me was the nail in the coffin for...
  12. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    This is why I said what I said. Take the $36k and please please buy a late model boat with outboard power! Else you and your significant other may wide up HATING BOATING!
  13. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    At home on the trailer the boat never moves, on the mooring it is always moving a bit, so no water really collects. Even after a tropical storm like we had a few weeks ago with 45 mph wind and buckets of rain.
  14. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    It does not matter if it was in the water or not. Your house gets wood rot, right, its not in the water, its moisture in the air. Freshwater boats rot from rain water and accumulated moisture. Salt water actually does not cause rot like fresh water because the microorganisms that cause rot can't...
  15. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    Ask him if he has pix, were the stringers and deck done? If he spent that much to do all that he should. I do and will give them to whoever buys mine. I have receipts from the 'glass shop for the work they did too.
  16. Lou C

    ANOTHER WATER IN OIL QUESTION

    True that's why I was leaning toward replacing the heads on mine even if they were not cracked. The machinist felt all the cooling ports were getting eroded in the heads. 15+ years of raw water cooling in salt. Who knows how close these were to rotting through. Here I have never heard of a block...
  17. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    Actually I have more problems with moisture in my boat when its in the driveway than when its on the mooring. Even after a big storm there is hardly any water inside but in the driveway, it always seems more wet.
  18. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    IF you can even find a shop that will do the work and do it right, and it will take a couple months to get done. To do this job right you are pulling the engine, outdrive, transom mount and gutting the interior. I did only a partial deck replacement.
  19. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    The wood is underneath all the fancy upholstery and wrap etc. Fiberglass itself is not that rigid. To make it rigid, you have the hull reinforced with stringers (like floor joists in a house) that run front to rear, the transom is cored with 2 layers of plywood, the deck is all plywood on top of...
  20. Lou C

    First boat is it worth it?

    If you want I can post up pics of my deck replacement that was done 15 years ago and you can judge if you want to risk buying a boat that old and then one day you step on a part of the deck and feel that sickening crunch of a rotted deck. Now mine is still good but no more old boats for me. That...
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