1988 4.3L OMC Motor - Noobie Questions

[AZWIP]

Interesting... so, just a "double check"... my engine is the OMC 4.3L V6, Cobra (is written on outboard side of things,..)... so... have seen a few references where a person or two mentioned that the OMC should not be run with muffs, but then someone else came back with "only the ones "before" 1977 (or so)... mine is a 1988.... should be ok to run with muffs right? Sorry to double check, but reckon too important to mess this one up... lol.


Hope there is nothing "special" about running with muffs?

Thanks folks!

 

[bruceb58]

Yes..it's fine

The ones 77 and before have such a weird water pickup that they just used a flushing attachment up on the trunion.

 

[AZWIP]

Thank you.

 

[Lou C]

They run fine on the muffs but make sure to use the dual inlet Tempo style ones that fit tightly. I always run the hose full on never a problem. If you want to shift it into gear you might want to remove the prop (good to grease the prop shaft at the same time).
Put the drive down as far as you can and make sure no one runs the wash or flushes a toilet in the house because that can drop the water pressure low enough to make the engine run hot.

 

[AZWIP]

Fantastic, I appreciate it folks. Thank You.

 

[bruceb58]

I use these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MT95RI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Lou C]

No Title

I have the same one, either Tempo or Moeller, they look the same. I also use a 3/4" length of heater hose for the muffs, they don't kink as much as garden hoses do, you definitely do not want the hose getting kinks in it. Slide the muffs over the water intakes, make sure they cover all 4 holes, then turn on the water. Start the engine and then get out of the boat, and make sure there is water coming out the bottom of the transom mount, that tells you that the impeller is pumping in water. If you don't see water coming out there, then shut it off right away because the engine will overheat without water flow. Here's mine about 8 years ago, you can see the water coming out the bottom of the transom mount....

 

[AZWIP]

Thanks again for the info, and the photo, really helped... first time I ran with muffs, was actually last night... and before reading and seeing the photo, I would have thought... something wrong, lol... I would have thought that the water would have been a nice steady flow out of some (one) hoile somewhere... lol... but, it is working as it should based on your photo... it is coming from the bottom of the transom... looks like a leak, lol.


Also, I did not "fully" drop the motor when I ran off muffs, but probably got it about 90% all the way down.... hope thats ok? I read somewhere where folks say to drop it completely... I got "close". I dropped the nose of the boat, that raised the back another 2-3 inches, allowing me to drop to around 90%.

Started her up, let her idle for 5 mins or so and shut her down... just to kind of flush the motor a bit I reckon.
Also, quick update on when it stopped running on me that one time... seems a battery connector was loose, at least I hope that's all it was... has not done it since I tightened that thing up.


Thanks again for everyone's help! Have found to start from cold, like some of you said, I pump the handle 2-3 times, then handle forward about a third... and she fires right up (hope I don't jinx it, lol).