Cobra OMC Drives

[MikDee]

Re: Cobra OMC Drives

There's only one thing wrong with an 86' OMC Cobra Drive, and that is having 2 of them on your boat! along with twin 4.3V6 205hp motors, just before they went out of business! Not necessarily double your pleasure, double your fun, like doublement, doublement, doublement gum, But hey, they worked Ok, did the job well, just a bit different then the Mercruiser, But, it cost me a lot of money just resealing one lower unit outdrive, and I replaced the parts, plus did most of the work myself, Until I needed to take it to a Dealer to button it up with OMC "$pecial tool$"! I recently sold the boat, and say good riddence, I decided not to do that again,,, I have something much simpler now a Bayliner with a Force outboard motor ! guess I'm just a glutton for punishment anyway, I do have the option of getting a different brand motor, plus it's trailerable, and in my back yard now, instead of a marina.

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Cobra OMC Drives

I have a Cobra on my 4.3 litre 90' Four Winns Freedom 195. Put a new engine in a few years ago and had the mechanic check the outdrive for me. It's been running great throughout. I do notice a difference in shifting (not really bad or good) from the way my father's MercCruiser shifts. No big deal, just different designs of the two outdrives.

I've got a local Four Winns dealer that has been here "forever." Parts and mechanics to work on my outdrive are not a problem at all. A lot of boats married to OMC's way back when and the older dealers fix em all the time. Too many out there still not to have someone up to date on OMC's.

I know that someday I'll have to spend the 2.5k for a rebuilt Merc or Volvo. Until then I'll get my miles out of my OMC. Look for a local dealer that does a lot of work on OMC's. I didn't scare me away from them: lots of parts and mechanical knowhow out there still- -depending on where you live, I guess.

 

[mikey.himself]

Re: Cobra OMC Drives

Surprisingly a close dealer to me actually still sells OMC parts and services them regularly as I found out today. They said OMC was bought out/changed ownership (No longer known as OMC). Thought that was kind of interesting.