Omc 2.3l

yt

yt

Seaman
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
72
Tomorrow I'm looking at an '89 Bayliner with the OMC ford 2.3 motor and outdrive. Anything in particular I should be watching for?
 
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dubs283

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
5,333
Re: Omc 2.3l

yep, a quick ride as far away from that as possible!!!

seriously tho, the omc 2.3 liter motor wasn't made for long, and some parts can be tough to come by and spendy too!
 
danond

danond

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
1,118
Re: Omc 2.3l

Don't buy it. OMC mechanics are very hard to find. Parts are no big deal for the 2.3.

Unless you plan on being your boat's only mechanic, service guy and parts desk, find something with Merc or a Volvo.
 
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maxxman04

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
352
Re: Omc 2.3l

hull damage, transom rot, floor rot, water in engine oil, cracked block/manifold. the manifold for the 2.3l is all but gone completely. a few companies make them still, but not budget friendly. omc is gone, so parts and mechanics for the omc cobra outdrive is about scarce. i'm finishing up a swap to mercruiser setup in 89 bayliner. that is an option, tho not quick and simple.
 
S

Sparkscw

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 8, 2009
Messages
49
Re: Omc 2.3l

I agree with everything above, I wish I had asked this very question two weeks ago before I bought my 89 2.3L garage ornament.
If your exhaust manifold goes your looking at an easy 1000.00-1500.00, if you can find it.

David
 
BurningTomatoe

BurningTomatoe

Cadet
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
15
Re: Omc 2.3l

WOW wished i would have seen this post bout a month ago when i got mine was a pretty good deal to me when i got it but now seems not so great :(
 
yt

yt

Seaman
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
72
Re: Omc 2.3l

:( Sorry to hear about the troubles you all are having. I think I'll have to pass on it, won't bother looking at it. I have yet to hear a good thing about that particular I/O combo. Too bad, otherwise looked like a half decent boat and I don't see anything else around me around the same price that matched my needs.

Other posters with different motors on same boat don't have too many complaints.
 
Howard Sterndrive

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: Omc 2.3l

I dont care for those. They don't make much power and they scream away at 5000 rpm tryin' to push anything bigger than a 16 footer.
Who wants to hear that noise....
 
danond

danond

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
1,118
Re: Omc 2.3l

Always buy a boat based on the make, model and condition of the engine and drive, THEN start looking at the interior and hull.
 
T

thannah84

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
99
Re: Omc 2.3l

yt said:
Tomorrow I'm looking at an '89 Bayliner with the OMC ford 2.3 motor and outdrive. Anything in particular I should be watching for?
Click to expand...


Yes, A different prospect boat. Bayliners are know for the bottom of the line cheap hulls. OMC's are Descent, but expensive parts, and as said above, hard to find mechanics that have been around long enough to know them. I have an OMC and I got lucky becuase my mechanic is very knowledgeable and knows them very well. Not to many problems with mine so far. I would look for a mercruiser or Volvo. Easier to work on and parts are readily available. It's not a matter of if it breaks its a matter of when it breaks. And preventative maintanence on these two are easy.
 
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Mark22

Cadet
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
13
Re: Omc 2.3l

I have a '88 Bayliner Capri. A few things to keep in mind about the 2.3L OMC Cobra: check the shift cable before you buy it and listen for any noise coming from the outdrive. There was a significant recall on the shift cables for OMC Cobra's and if this boat you are looking at has the RED cable, you are OK. If it has the black cable, you might want to shy away from it. You can see the shift cable next to the bellows with the drive trimmed up. Other than the shift cable, if you hear any kind of thumping or clunking noise from the drive, it's probably the gearset and you need to walk away. Keep in mind that you should be able to shift the boat in and out of gear easily. If the shifting is stiff or it is hard to shift, you might have issues down the road. Other than that, I personally like the 2.3L Cobra. I can ski behind my boat for most of the day on one tank of gas. The motor itself is a high revving engine but I think it puts out a good amount of power. If you do buy it, its worth your time to visit Stuart Hasting's website. It has all the info on Cobra's from birth to death. www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra
 
B

BLC

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
83
Re: Omc 2.3l

Thanks for the info and the link Mark, It has some great information and I will make some good use of it. I got a killer deal on my boat and it is in excelent condition so I don't mind tinkering with it a bit to keep it running. With the info in the link it makes the troubleshooting alot easier. especialy when you know what to look for.
I looked on the iboat parts section for a electronic ignition upgrade but they don't have one listed for a 89 2.3L. Do you know where I can get one.
 
slag

slag

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
471
Re: Omc 2.3l

There's nothing wrong with the Ford/OMC 2.3 liter engine and omc cobra outdrive setup. The cobra is a nicer outdrive than the merc alpha 1 for sure and is reliable as heck as long as you have the cables set up properly.

Sure, its an anemic 130 hp, but its a decent runabout. If you want to ski all day, you would get either a merc 140 hp 3 liter, or V6.

If you can get the boat for under a grand, it would be a good deal, providing the transom and floors are not rotten.
 
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Mark22

Cadet
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
13
Re: Omc 2.3l

I put the Pertronix Ignitor and Flamethrower coil on my 2.3L and I think it works great. You should be able to get both for around $140. Keep in mind that you will need to make a small fix for the ESA module if you use the Ignitor. It is just 2 diodes and 2 resistors. The circuit diagram will come with the instructions for the Ignitor and the diodes and resistors can be found at any Radio Shack. It's a lot easier that it sounds.
 
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