outdrive questions....have researched

[rotor_av8]

Hello and Great site. I have some questions. I have researched your site and some others. Please bear with me because I have tried very hard to be informed before asking your help.

I have pictures but am not being allowed to attach them. Maybe this is because I have just signed up. Do I need to donate to the site before being allowed to use pics?

1st question: I'm trying to identify my sterndrive. From what I gather it seems to be an electric shift. It has the 16 screws (tiny) around the transom seal. It is in a 1968 Seabird 20' Cuddy with a chevy 307. I have not yet verified the engine but was told it is a 307. It is a SBC that's for sure. If I do have an electric shift will the Seloc 64-86 manual be a big help if I have good mechanical skills already? Will you all please help me verify the sterndrive? Where are the part number and serial numbers at?

2nd Question: The steering seems to be reversed. I researched this and found on the OMC website that this can be caused by the incorrect steering box being installed. They seemed to be referring to the 400/800 where I read it though. Can someone please explain basic differences or years of the "electric shift" vs. "400" vs. "800" vs. "stringer" vs. "cobra"? Will I have to replace the entire upper gear unit to correct the steering?

3rd question: Despite the incorrect steering (opposite) there seems to be another turning issue. The drive will turn fully in one direction and only partially in the other direction. I am guessing the gears need to be centered when installed and the drive was installed incorrectly. Is this correct? The drive moves easily in both directions untill the stopping position.

4th Question: If I run for the time being with the steering reversed will I damage anything further or will it be ok? (Despite having to turn the opposite direction of course.) It may take me a while to find the correct gearbox used rather than buy a new upper box on the OMC site for $1600-$1800.


Thanks in advance,
Seth

 

[Bondo]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

Do I need to donate to the site before being allowed to use pics?

Nope,..... This ain't boatered,..... This is iboats,.... I see you figured out the picture posting....
And,....
Welcome Aboard to our forums......

Can someone please explain basic differences or years of the "electric shift" vs. "400" vs. "800" vs. "stringer" vs. "cobra"?

Ayuh,........
To the Best of my limited OMC knowledge,...

The 400 is the Smaller Stringer drive,....
The 800 is the Larger Stringer drive,....(which your's is)
The 800 Stringer drives are further divided into Electric shift,+ Mechanical shift models,...
Mechanical being the lesser of the Evils...
And,....
The Cobras came out in I think 1987 or 88, which is Totally Different that what you have.....

It appears to me, that Unfortunately,.....
You have the Worst of the OMC Demons,.....

The rest of your Question will have to wait til 1 of our OMC Experts shows up,....
'cause I've come to the end of my OMC Knowledge........

Good Luck.........

 

[achris]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

....
'cause I've come to the end of my OMC Knowledge........

Which is more than I know, or want to know.. :redface::redface:

 

[JCF350]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

1st question: I'm trying to identify my sterndrive. From what I gather it seems to be an electric shift. It has the 16 screws (tiny) around the transom seal. It is in a 1968 Seabird 20' Cuddy with a chevy 307. I have not yet verified the engine but was told it is a 307. It is a SBC that's for sure. If I do have an electric shift will the Seloc 64-86 manual be a big help if I have good mechanical skills already? Will you all please help me verify the sterndrive? Where are the part number and serial numbers at?

Yours is Electric shift it predates the 400/800 drive units which came out in 1978.
Don't remember where the serial # is.

2nd Question: The steering seems to be reversed. I researched this and found on the OMC website that this can be caused by the incorrect steering box being installed. They seemed to be referring to the 400/800 where I read it though. Can someone please explain basic differences or years of the "electric shift" vs. "400" vs. "800" vs. "stringer" vs. "cobra"? Will I have to replace the entire upper gear unit to correct the steering?

Check your steering box and see if you can move the cable from the bottom to the top connection, if not you will have to buy a longer cable and mount it to the other side of your drive unit.
Your unit does not have "True-course" steering. It would do you no good to change the upper gearcase (where the steering gears are located).

3rd question: Despite the incorrect steering (opposite) there seems to be another turning issue. The drive will turn fully in one direction and only partially in the other direction. I am guessing the gears need to be centered when installed and the drive was installed incorrectly. Is this correct? The drive moves easily in both directions untill the stopping position.

Some folks opted out of the True-course steering option and went with a push-pull cable (the rod attached to outside of your upper gearcase). This limits the travel of the drive and needs to be re-centered to get equal travel in both directions.

4th Question: If I run for the time being with the steering reversed will I damage anything further or will it be ok? (Despite having to turn the opposite direction of course.) It may take me a while to find the correct gearbox used rather than buy a new upper box on the OMC site for $1600-$1800.

Do not operate the boat in this condition period! No damage to you until your body has to react in an emergency situation or someone unfamiliar is at the helm.

 

[JCF350]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

PS: buy any manual you can get your hands on. They will cover the differences between the drives and steering. To much info to cover here

 

[rotor_av8]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

So far this has been incredibly helpful. Keep the help coming please.

In some cases is the steering unit behing the console and steering wheel reversible? Is that what flip the steering unit around means? I would need to drill the transom then patch the other hole up if I got another cable right? Is there a mechanical arm "reverser" that can bolt onto the back of a boat for motor control? Essentially it would turn a push into a pull.

My drive seems to work now but haven't had it in water yet. Do things often change when the load of the water is added? I may take it for a dip today leaving it on the trailer and run it a little in water.

I'll look for a bottom and top connection. Thanks again

Seth

 

[79Glastron]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

The selco manual will be a big help to you, I remember mine having a section on the type of steering you have, but I don't have it in front of me now. The drive is neither a 400 or 800. Its a "low profile" elec shift. I don't know anything good or bad about them, but if it was serviced correctly it should be ok. The boat is a classic, and for `68, I'm sure it was pretty good stuff. I noticed that the cap looks like its missing on the garden hose adaptor on the left side tilt housing cap, you'll need to plug that before going into the lake or it will suck air and won't pull any water for cooling. You can use this to run the boat out of water by connecting a garden hose to it.
Good luck!

 

[JCF350]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

I noticed that the cap looks like its missing on the garden hose adaptor on the left side tilt housing cap, you'll need to plug that before going into the lake or it will suck air and won't pull any water for cooling. You can use this to run the boat out of water by connecting a garden hose to it.
Good luck!

What you see is an adapter for male-male ends he should have a female threaded cap that screws on where the adapter is. While it won't suck air it will push water out, either way is not good.

So far this has been incredibly helpful. Keep the help coming please.

In some cases is the steering unit behing the console and steering wheel reversible?

maybe

Is that what flip the steering unit around means?

don't know for sure what "flip" means

I would need to drill the transom then patch the other hole up if I got another cable right?

Yes

Is there a mechanical arm "reverser" that can bolt onto the back of a boat for motor control? Essentially it would turn a push into a pull.

I have never seen one. The best way to fix the steering would be to install the the True-course option. But you would need a donor boat and hope the steering head and cable are in good shape (read fresh water). You will need the steering head, cable, the shaft and gear assy through the intermediate housing and all the parts in the upper gearcase.

My drive seems to work now but haven't had it in water yet. Do things often change when the load of the water is added? I may take it for a dip today leaving it on the trailer and run it a little in water.

Yes, depending if the clutch hub spring is broken or not and where the break is.

 

[JustJason]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

a 307 isn't a SBC engine..... Its a gm small big block..... or a BOP block....

 

[MikDee]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

a 307 isn't a SBC engine..... Its a gm small big block..... or a BOP block....

The 307 IS a small block Chevy! a 283block with a 327 crank, it was used as a an upgrade for the 283 as a standard base engine across the Chevy line, back in 67'-68' it's probably before your time jason, go look it up.

And rotor, are you sure your steering is reversed? I don't mean to offend, but could you be mistaken about how it works, if you turn the wheel to the right, the back of the outdrive moves to the right, and turning the wheel left, the back of the drive turns left? That would be correct.

 

[JCF350]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

The 307 IS a small block Chevy! a 283block with a 327 crank, it was used as a an upgrade for the 283 as a standard base engine across the Chevy line, back in 67'-68' it's probably before your time jason, go look it up.

The 70 and a half Camaros also had a 307

And rotor, are you sure your steering is reversed? I don't mean to offend, but could you be mistaken about how it works, if you turn the wheel to the right, the back of the outdrive moves to the right, and turning the wheel left, the back of the drive turns left? That would be correct.

Good point!

 

[rotor_av8]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

The selco manual will be a big help to you...

I ordered the manual last night.

I noticed that the cap looks like its missing on the garden hose adaptor on the left side tilt housing cap, you'll need to plug that before going into the lake or it will suck air and won't pull any water for cooling.

Thanks, I have run it with this I just had disconnected the hose before the pic. I built a cap to screw in for water use.

The best way to fix the steering would be to install the the True-course option. But you would need a donor boat and hope the steering head and cable are in good shape (read fresh water). You will need the steering head, cable, the shaft and gear assy through the intermediate housing and all the parts in the upper gearcase.
Yes, depending if the clutch hub spring is broken or not and where the break is.

I looked into the steering box behind the steering wheel and it has two outputs so I assume I can move it from the top where it is to the bottom to put the drive correct again. I will try this soon.

a 307 isn't a SBC engine..... Its a gm small big block..... or a BOP block....

Yes it actually is a SBC. Chevy actually made a 262, 265, 267, 283, 302, 305, 307, 327, 350, 400. GM is a different story and made a lot of other sizes as well. I used to have a pontiac 301. You should look into the HUGE GM industrial v6's if you want a shocker. I used to have a GMC pickup with a 478 cubic inch in it! They came in 305, 351, 401, 432, and 478 cubic inch V-6's. They were able to bolt end to end for military applications like generators!

And rotor, are you sure your steering is reversed? I don't mean to offend, but could you be mistaken about how it works, if you turn the wheel to the right, the back of the outdrive moves to the right, and turning the wheel left, the back of the drive turns left? That would be correct.

Yes, I am sure, when I turn right it turns left.....moves to the left side of the boat...and visa versa. I'm sure someone just installed the steering wrong. Hopefully they didn't drive it and get a big suprise.

I took the boat to the water and it runs awesome! I had to do some carb tuning but now it's doing great. The electric shift works great and goes into F and R perfect. Water pump works and it will rev to about 3500 or 4000 RPM in foreward. I suspect it will go higher if the boat was allowed to move foreward to reduce the resistance. I looked up my carburetor, a quadrajet, and it is a 17082403. is carb is off of a 350 or a 454 Chevy marine engine from 1982. Oviously a replacement. What do you people think should I get a smaller carb made for a 5.0L instead of a 5.7L or 7.4L? If it runs good will this affect my fuel consumption?

Hopefully I'l be out soon once I do things right so I can trust this boat. I was out in the helicopter today looking at the boats fishing and wishing I had mine done.

Thanks again for the help,
Rotor_av8

 

[JCF350]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

You should look into the HUGE GM industrial v6's if you want a shocker. I used to have a GMC pickup with a 478 cubic inch in it! They came in 305, 351, 401, 432, and 478 cubic inch V-6's. They were able to bolt end to end for military applications like generators!

Also had a V8 version 637", Where later converted to diesels and called "Toro-Flows". Of which a fair amount of are still running in boats. Worked out good for boats not so good for land vehicles.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: outdrive questions....have researched

[....