help with omc sterndrive

[ukcarnut44]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

I am in the middle of an engine swap changing from a blown mercruiser 5.7 Aplha one unit to a King Cobra OMC 460 in na Sea Ray.
I know nothing about the older stringer units but have run the OMC King Cobra 460 since 1993 with very little issues. If you are looking for parts try this link these people have been extrmely helpful to me and carry almost any part you may need for both the older stringer systems and the later cobra units.

http://www.glmmarine.com/30yearsomc.html

You will get a lot of flack from people about the OMC units but as a lifetime boater with Mercuisers, Volvos and now OMC if you look after them, at least my experience with the cobra, they perfom as well as any other. After 1986 the OMC relationship with Volvo made a big difference.

Good luck I hope this is some help.

 

[Dakota47]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

you cooked the motor @ 240 degrees. That outdrive is junk .. take the trailer and run.. leave the boat at the dump..

 

[nismo]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

"you cooked the motor @ 240 degrees. That outdrive is junk .. take the trailer and run.. leave the boat at the dump.." Oh ye of little faith in the ability of a good chevy small block...... the motor is perfect, still runs perfect, no head gasket damage, no cracked block, no water in oil, no problems with the motor. As i had previously stated, i have worked on cars most of my life, i know my way around a motor, specially a small block chevy and most imports. I am not one that would run a motor that hot, as soon as it reached those temps it was shut down and inspected.

So far it has been very enjoyable working on the outboard, i haven't run into anything as of yet that i haven't been able to get to. If you take your time and pay attention to what does what 9 times out of 10 your safe. I also have a sick twisted mind so fun to me is tearing down a motor or some type of equipment and putting it back together.......with no manual.

I do again thank everyone for their advice, help and suggestions I do keep the "get a manual" "shoot yourself now" advice in the back of my mind as i continue my adventure in lower unit repair...or should i say in OMC hell lower unit repair.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

you cooked the motor @ 240 degrees. That outdrive is junk .. take the trailer and run.. leave the boat at the dump..

240 degrees is not "cooked".

 

[fendersfender]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

while its apart, put a new impeller in it and check the splines on the water pump shaft....problem with these is that if the seal on the shaft leaks then the splines rust away until the break...have you checked the gear oil....that omc has 3 places for gear lube (upper, lower, and intermediate)...look for water and metal in that oil.....

 

[nismo]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

The oil looked good, could tell it was old, but no water or metal shavings when i drained it. I was rather impressed at how clean everything was, as far as no shavings, which i expected to see in all honesty, the cables were nice and clean when i took it apart, no fraying, or binding, the rubber was in good shape as well.I will be doing more inspections this evening with the upper end of the lower unit. I will also post more pictures of my progress tonight, just cause i feel like i found people that actually care about helping someone and would like to share my experience

 

[fendersfender]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

i would be worrying about that upper gearcase rather than the lower...i can almost guarantee that its the water pump shaft.....good luck

 

[WizeOne]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

You ought to raise the drive and take a picture of your ball gears and post it.

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

i would be worrying about that upper gearcase rather than the lower...i can almost guarantee that its the water pump shaft.....good luck

That's where I would put my money too. That or the key is snapped. Bring on the pics!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

OMG!

Where were you when I pulled my 460 King Cobra out??

I cannot believe someone would actually pull a Mercruiser to install a 460 Cobra!!!

You are 'da man!!

I am in the middle of an engine swap changing from a blown mercruiser 5.7 Aplha one unit to a King Cobra OMC 460 in na Sea Ray.
I know nothing about the older stringer units but have run the OMC King Cobra 460 since 1993 with very little issues. If you are looking for parts try this link these people have been extrmely helpful to me and carry almost any part you may need for both the older stringer systems and the later cobra units.

http://www.glmmarine.com/30yearsomc.html

You will get a lot of flack from people about the OMC units but as a lifetime boater with Mercuisers, Volvos and now OMC if you look after them, at least my experience with the cobra, they perfom as well as any other. After 1986 the OMC relationship with Volvo made a big difference.

Good luck I hope this is some help.

 

[nismo]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

This is going to take a couple posts, but here are the pictures so far

 

[nismo]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

and more

 

[THE BEEF]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

OK I got a dumb *** question!
You can pull the lower unit off a 800 stringer with out taking the drive off ?
what about the shift cable, is there enough slack?
Beef

 

[nismo]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

If there is, I couldn't find it, I mean not to take the cables out of the housing anyway, the housing yes it will unbolt from the lower unit and you can then use a pair of long handled pliers to remove the cotter pin and slid out the retainer pin from the bar, just remember use finesse. It is a tight area to work in, but simple enough. I never got the cables completely lose from the housing because i didnt take them lose from the drive plate on the motor itself. All i wanted to do was visually inspect them to see if they were broke or frayed. I t appears they may be stretched or just out of adjustment, which i will find out for sure this weekend when i put the boat back together. I hope i answered your questions, I am learning as I go, so one of the other guys that have been helping me out alot may have a better answer for you as well.

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

This is going to take a couple posts, but here are the pictures so far

That impeller housing doesn't look like it's been apart in a while! I would yank it next and check the other end (male) shaft splines. Be silly not the do the impeller while it's apart too.

 

[nismo]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

I know this is @ss backwards, but i am putting the outboard back together tomorrow, so i can test to see if it is in fact an adjustment issue in the cables. If i have to tear it down ago, I've only really lost a couple hours and a few bucks. If the prop still wont spin properly i will do a complete tear down and probably rebuild the whole unit. So wish me luck, even though I know ya'll are probably thinking what an idiot and hard headed fool i am, but i'm a troubleshooter by nature and this is my process . I am doing this on a very limited budget as well so the less i spend now means i have longer to save up to spend more later if need be. I am only planning on fixing it up so i can sell the boat, but want to use it for a little while with my family. If we enjoy it and get enough use out of it to merit buying another one for personal use then i will buy one a bit newer and nicer.

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

Four more bolts and the impeller and housing are out. Being this far in, it's only a few more minutes to pull it. You may find that the impeller is still OK (they're pretty skookum, mine was still pumping plenty after sitting for years and probably could have lasted for a couple more years use) but at least you'll know. If shot, the Sierra impeller kit I got was only $45 cdn. The male splines of that half-shaft will corrode and strip out if you have leaking seals. Taking the extra few minutes to check them now could tell you if it's worth any more of your limited time and funds. Either way, good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[Rob454]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

I rebuilt a OMC 800 for a buddy of mine. its not that hard to do and two years later it runs like a champ. your ball gears are still useable but stop bringing the outdrive down when the boat is running. The water pump impeller is located under the round plate with 4 bolts that you posted a pic of. its located in the upper housing. BE CAREFUL and dont damage the shift cable. The one we bought was 350$ and it was a pain to find. from what I hear they no longer make that shift cable. You have two oil reservoirs in that outdrive. I am by no means a marine mechanic and with a factory manual and some patience I rebuilt my buddys OMC 800. it is my belief most of the bad rap the stringer drives got was from people who didnt take care of them or they heard it from a buddy. Yes Im sure there are some problems with the drives but I bet most were caused my lack of maintenance

Rob

 

[chiefalen]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

thats the water pump and shaft right under those 4 bolts pull them now.see what the impeller looks like and the shaft.only another couple of minutes.good luck dont ever start that motor without water going to the outdrive and never run it up.

 

[nismo]

Re: help with omc sterndrive

LATEST UPDATE: Ok so i have the motor back together and i have figured out the problem and am 99% sure this is it, it seems to be in the controls. the throttle control actually got stuck, now the throttle lever will not move at all when engaged, but if in the neutral position it would still throttle. i bought a used throttle control today and will be installing it this evening and will update ya'll on the outcome.