OMC King Cobra Outdrives

[Greg Heiden]

The OMC King Cobra outdrives were recently stolen from my 1992 Chris Craft. I am wondering if the Kings are the only replacement available. From what I've searched the King Cobra's are quite rare and costly. I'm powered by 5.7 LE motors. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Don S]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

It kind of depends on which "King Cobra" you had. OMC loved to name drives King Cobra. So there were actually 3 different kinds of King Cobra's.
Since your's is a 92, it isn't the SX/King Cobra that was actually a Volvo drive.
Did your's have the raw water pumps in the drives? The ESA system for the shift interrupt system and the dog style clutch in the drive? If so, they are the most common. But may still may have to be ordered from somewhere. OMC went out of sterndrive buisness about 10 years ago.

 

[Chopstix99]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

With him saying they were considered "rare", I am thinking he may have had the drives with the 'cone' clutch? Weren't those made right around that time? If those are what he had, and the drives were taken off of the boat, leaving the transom mounts in place, can either type drive be mated to the mount or would he have to go with the same model drive?

 

[Greg Heiden]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

I quess that's the question I have also. Yes, the raw water pump was mounted on the back of the drive shaft at the top of the unit. The cover plate on top of the upper bearing was rounded and raised if that's any help. Thanks

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

Tough break! :/

Maybe these guys have what you need:

http://www.sterndrive.info/

Just curious, because I'm always worried someday someone will pull my drive off my boat. Did you have locks on your drives? (the McGard bolt lock type or something similar)

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

I would say that the fact that the top cover on the drive is raised and rounded pretty much says he has (had) the cone clutch drives. Don't think you can put the standard Cobra on there as the shifting is all different.

cobra 3.0 I put the McGard locks on my twins as the insurance company made it a pre-req. I bought the matched pair so only need the one "key" for both. I'm pretty paranoid about losing the key, have heard of stories of people having to have it chiseled off when they can't find the key.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

the cone clutch OMC was made about 3 years or so in the 80's, I dont think it made it past 90. the dog clutch had the water pump on the aft end of the upper case. ya cant place it there with a cone clutch as the shaft cannot pass horizontally through the cone.
the cone clutch king was a rather limited production and mostly saw service behind a 340 Hp 460 CID ford.
they are very rare and now very expensive.
the dog clucth models are still all over.
theives suck and should be fair game with no bag limit.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

Looks like 1992 was a strange beast that had a cone clutch as well as an upper half water pump, these 2 links from Doug Russell clearly show the cone clutch and a separate water pump adapter

1992 Upper

1992 Water Pump Adapter

 

[Don S]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

I guess the best way to determine WHAT you HAD since you can't look at it, is to determine where the shift cable comes out of the pivot housing.
The King Cobra's with the dog clutch had the shift cable "Assembly" coming out the starboard side of the pivot housing, the King Cobras with the cone clutch (Pre Volvo) came out the Port side of the pivot housing. The OMC/Volvo King Cobra came out the starboard side, but didn't have that slide assembly built on the end of the cable.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: OMC King Cobra Outdrives

Here's one for you but you still need another

http://cgi.ebay.ca/OMC-1990-KING-CO...7QQihZ017QQcategoryZ26455QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem