What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

[jaredbuybadboat]

HI,

I just finished putting a new impeller on - my last one was fried. I put ears on and started it up and there was water coming out of the silver screw-cap-looking thing on the left side of the outdrive, basically at the same level as the impeller. What is this thing? Is it ok that water was squirting out of it? Please help!

It is a regular cobra outdrive on a 2.3L OMC, 1989.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

What outdrive?

 

[firehog6305]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

I hope you are not talking about the vent cap???

 

[Maclin]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

Need pics dude!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

Someone must have removed it and either didn't seal it properly or left it loose. It won't really hurt a thing except that the water coming out should be going thru your engine and manifolds.

It's just a "hole filler" that is usually covered by the "COBRA" emblem. The OMC service manual doesn't mention it at all.....probably because they didn't expect people to remove the emblem on them.

If you remove it you'll have to remove the drive to retrieve the nut that falls off inside. It's in a water flow area and not in the lubricated area but you have to pull the drive to get to it.

Regards,

Rick

 

[Coors]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

you messed with the secret OMC hole.. The back clip is now in the water passage, in the out drive. The outdrive has to be taken apart to retrieve it.
1st, find an OMC manual, hard to find. Use search old threads in here- the fix is there.
and it is still here.http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/kw-shift.html

 

[midsouthfire]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

Get ready for all the OMC haters to thrash you!! If the screw is still there, it should tighten up. If not, it cost me $300 for a local shop to remove drive, pressure test, check bellows and gimble, and replace missing screw.

 

[Coors]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

The laughs are on the way; once omc learned, no problem.
omc stronger than merc. Stand back, as the real abuse hits.

 

[bishop1976]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

Yeah your about to get a real OMC welcome. Don S. will probably get a running start.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

Uh....not exactly true. But you do have to REMOVE the drive to fix it......

The outdrive has to be taken apart to retrieve it.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

I have heard of people putting a rubber plug in that whole and keep running it.
I'm not sure if that nut on the back can go anywhere to harm things but i would not try it.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

There's actually no reason why that wouldn't work. That's water output from the pump and it goes into the fitting in the gimbal to the engine. The water is somewhat under pressure. Not a lot, but enough to pressure feed it into the engine and up and out of the manifolds/risers.

It would have to a fairly tight fitting plug or it might pop out. also you might circulate enough water in there to have that little nut/plate that fell off get pushed by the flow of water into the rest of the cooling system. If it were mine, I wouldn't want it to plug up the system.

If you have not had the drive off in a few years to check the U-joints, bellows, shift cable boot etc now would be a good time.

 

[midsouthfire]

Re: What is screw-cap-thing on left side of outdrive?

I have heard of people putting a rubber plug in that whole and keep running it.
I'm not sure if that nut on the back can go anywhere to harm things but i would not try it.

That's what I was gonna do with mine, but if that plug comes out then no water goes to the engine and i think we all know what happens then.