My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

[Noe de la Garza]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Thanks Don, I stumbled upon Hastings web page and gave me a lot of info. Also took the advice of ordering the actual OMC Manual. So I did as well. I guess I can use one for kneeling and the other for sitting. LOL.

Thanks for all the help

 

[cr2k]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Why not just run it for now and look for a similar boat with a MC drive?

 

[flockshot]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Being a new (unsuspecting) OMC Stringer owner I have been in a 'tizzy' worried about what I am going to do when the stringer needs work, but this trread has really helped.

I will continue to look for a Marine Tech that has the tools and knowledge to work on them, but untill it breaks I will just take exceptional care of it and enjoy the boat. I plan to put on a 15hp kicker for Great Lakes trolling (saving many hours on the OMC) and it will also be my safety net for any problems.

Thanks for a little 'peace of mind' to all who posted.

P.S. If anyone finds a good Marine Tech in Michigan for these please let me know.

 

[Don S]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

From other posts I have read I believe the Real King Cobra only came on the 460, which is not my case. This is a 5.8L.

The 5.8 Fords came with both the Cobra (dog clutch) and the King Cobra (cone clutch like you have). Look at your engine model. Does it say 5.8LE?

I stumbled upon Hastings web page and gave me a lot of info.

There is lots of information there, but it has nothing to do with your outdrive. All he discusses is the Cobra and King Cobra with the DOG CLUTCH. Nothing on the cone. There is also no ESA system on your engine.
He is also wrong about the year the SX started, it was 94, not 93 as he states.

I think I do not have to do the measuring of oil, since its not a 460.

Not sure what you mean by measureing of the oil, but you need to check gear lube level in any outdrive, by any manufacturer. If you get a leak and loose oil, you will destroy the drive. The only way to prevent that is to check the fluid level. Your drive has a dipstick on the top of it just like the Cobra.

 

[Noe de la Garza]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Thats probably what i am going to do Cr2k. I am going to put a little love in it first because i am sure I can get my money back. HOpefully all goes well mechanicly tomorrow on the test drive.

Thanks

Noe

 

[Noe de la Garza]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Thanks Don Great info and diagrams. I will make sure I check oil tomorrow on drive before taking out. I know this is going to sounds like a stupid question, but on the post it states to screw dip stick in. I would think it is already there right? Or is this a seperate tool you have to have?

Thanks

Noe

 

[Don S]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

On any dipstick, engine oil or drive. You remove the dipstick wipe it off, then recheck. Never just remove the dipstick and look at it and accept that reading. 90% of the time, it's wrong.

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Thats probably what i am going to do Cr2k. I am going to put a little love in it first because i am sure I can get my money back. HOpefully all goes well mechanicly tomorrow on the test drive.

Thanks

Noe

Assuming that all goes well, you could get many years out of that boat if you change fluids regularly, perform other maintenance on time. I wouldn't even think of changing out the propulsion until that one craps out, who know man, you might get 10+ years out of it if you wanted.

 

[Lou C]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

I'd see what you can get out of it as others noted...I've got a garden variety Cobra that I got when it was 14 years old and now it's 22 years old and still running strong....the Cobra with the cone clutch from 90--93 is a rare model but it's much bigger and heavier duty than the standard dog clutch models...and as such as long as you keep oil in it and keep the shift system adjusted correctly it could last a long time. The boat itself is the same hull as my 88 Horizon and I can tell you that's a great running hull...it's a 21* deadrise so it cuts through rough water great for a boat that size...
The only think I don't know is if the cut out for the drive is the same as the standard Merc/OMC/Volvo SX cut out...on the one hand I can't see why they would have changed it because the point of making the Cobra more similar to the Merc drives is the boat builders would have to make only one cut out. On the other hand the drive seems much wider and bigger than the plain Cobras...In any case the boat itself if it has no rot is worth a powertrain upgrade when time comes...

 

[Juniinc]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

My Cobra is 19 years old and still running strong.
still shows a perfect gear tooth contact pattern.

 

[Noe de la Garza]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Thats so very true. I guess I let all the comments about the cobras get to me, especially since I am barely going to try out the boat tomorrow and really don't know where my boat stands. I love the design of these older Four Winns, have heard great things about them and looking forward to some nice days out at the lake with it.

Thanks everyone for all your comments and Help.

All goes well tomorrow and motor and drive are ok I will be posting some pics of my restoration soon.

Thanks

Noe

 

[duke3478]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Thats so very true. I guess I let all the comments about the cobras get to me...

Don't do that, Noe. there are thousands of happy OMC owners lubing and adjusting properly, with decades of trouble-free boating. Take care of it and it will take care of you.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: My Situation. Finally a Four Winns, but Oh Oh

Wait until you need to replace the impeller. The regular Cobra impeller that everyone sells is a smaller diameter.
I changed one on that exact drive with a 5.8.
The impeller i liked to never find.After about a week of searching i found a dealer in Seattle WA. that had one....150 bucks!

No aftermarket parts to be had on that drive...