Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

[bruceb58]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

Lyndy,

You aren't throwing in the towel are you?

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

Lyndy,

You aren't throwing in the towel are you?

Rofl! No Bruce, not giving up. Just was not aware of a possible adaptor. For the adaptor alone I could buy a complete spare OMC Drive and then some. I would consider the adaptor if I was to Re-Power though. Even on that note of Re-Powering I have seen a great thread on this Forum about plugging up the hole and re-glassing. My stinker, I mean Stringer will not beat me. Not my nature.

 

[ck85abc3]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

Could you make your own adaptor? I think that would depend on how flat it is and it does not look perfectly flat.

 

[Mr Tig]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

I just bought a 1984 Celebrity with OMC/5.7L/ Stringer drive. Took it to my
mechanic and he said it was tempermental, but a decent drive. I'm new to the I/O world and thought I would start cheap. No rotten wood in the boat and the teak wood and hull were just short of perfect. Mechanic said someone had taken exceptionally good care of it. Except for the motor. I knew it needed one when I bougt it. Owner let it freeze. I gave 900.00 for the boat and trailor. Now, after reading all of the posts about the stringer, I'm a little nervous. I've known my mechanic for quite some time and he did say he would have to school me on it before he turned me loose with it. He did also say he was the only one in a 100 square mile radius tha would work on one. My question is this: a 350 is a 350 for all intense purposes. Why makes Merc different from OMC?

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

My question is this: a 350 is a 350 for all intense purposes. Why makes Merc different from OMC?

There will be others that will chime in on the specifics, but I know it has been done. I have a 1975 OMC 225HP Drive with a 5.0 Mercruiser Powerplant. On the other hand, the previous owner who installed the Engine also installed a Windlass with 14Ga wire on the Boat.
The suggested wiring for it from the Manufacturer is 6Ga.

 

[evilratgirl]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

CK, it seems like the OMC banter offten sounds like a Ford/Chevy battle. I for one have to stand up for the Cobra. I have and 88 Crestliner with the 2.3 and Cobra OD. Parts are easy enough to find but best results from the internet. Parts for the 3L Chevy are even easier.

You mentioned you weren't afraid to work on it yourself, which is great. The shift cable that everyone is so afraid of really isn't bad. The reputation is FAR worse then it deserves.

On average I put about $200 each spring into the boat for upgrades and maintenace. Then about 3 tanks of gas thru the season. This includes lots of tubing.

The Cobra isn't the problem child some make it out to be.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

after reading all of the posts about the stringer, I'm a little nervous.

So was I , but in the last 3 years I have regained faith. I often do this thing where I slow my boat to where it's just settling off plane, then I punch the throttle. The boat pretty much jumps it's own wake (it a little 17 footer with a V6). After doing that a couple hundred times, I don't buy the fear.

Mechanics like to work on what they are familiar with. That's the main factor in all of this.

1982 thru 1985 stringers are fine.

One of the techs who teaches in the marine apprentice program at the college here told me it's his favourite drive. And that's really because we have so many around here (OMC plant was right here in Peterborough for 30 years, so local loyalty was strong) and it's what he worked on while he was learning.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

The OMC Cobra I had was nothing but a money pit and a maintenance nightmare.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Stay away from OMC motors and sterns?

The OMC Cobra I had was nothing but a money pit and a maintenance nightmare.

Mine too - I would not touch one of those again.