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  1. Liquid_force

    installing bimini on home made tower

    Doing a little brain storming here. The process of actually attaching it should be simple enough. I'm planning to simply drill a couple 3/8" holes through the tower and insert some SS studs which will serve as the pivot point. The hang up I'm worried about is the point at the outer edges of...
  2. Liquid_force

    Is this a typical sign of starter failure?

    Hi, haven't been in for a while. Not sure about this new layout. Seems really slow and search function is unusual. I digress -- My problem... '89 OMC 4.3L cobra Having intermittent starter issues. Battery is always charged, but every few times the key is turned the engine is either slow to...
  3. Liquid_force

    Checking alignment -- can this be right?!

    Hey...<br />I bought the $100 transom service kit from basic power to do b4 the season.<br /><br />I've gotten the old bearing out and the new one in. Since my alignment tool didn't arrive on time I removed the u-joint shaft from the stern drive to use as a temp alignment tool.<br /><br...
  4. Liquid_force

    Problem installing transom shift cable

    I may just be stupid, but this is really not going well...<br />When threading the transom shift cable into the pivot housing how do I keep from twisting the cable??<br /><br />To remove it I had to remove the pivot hsg bolts and actually rotate the entire housing off the cable because trying to...
  5. Liquid_force

    Where to measure transom shift cable dimension from?

    OMC manual describes adjustment of the transom cable very clearly, my only problem is where to take the 7-5/8" or 7-9/16" measurement from.<br /><br />The manual says from the end of the cable crimp, and the picture shows the end nearest the linkage - that's fine, but my cable has a nut attached...
  6. Liquid_force

    Pulled gimbal bearing - stress cracks on hsg (pics)

    Hey guys - owned this '89 omc for 3 yrs now. Decided to do gimbal service this spring. We removed the pivot housing and the gimbal bearing -- the surface behind the gimbal bearing shows some stress-type cracks. They're not on the machined surface, but on the rough casting surface - if that's...
  7. Liquid_force

    Transom service on omc cobra

    Preparing to get the boat out this spring and planning to service the transom. Gimbal brg, exhaust/u-joint bellows and associated o-rings/seals etc.<br />I was looking at my omc manual last night and the only procedure I could find involved removing the pivot housing.<br />Is that necessary?<br...
  8. Liquid_force

    another trim problem - erratic needle

    Hi,<br />Older boat, beginning 4th season of ownership.<br />When we first used it the trim gauge seemed fairly accurate, at least usable, but has slowly gotten worse. It almost always reads at the top of the gauge, and when the button is pressed the needle bounces all over the place. Once it...
  9. Liquid_force

    Lower gears replaced in my Cobra...why does it hum?

    Have a concern that's been bugging me for a while.<br />Last June I had to have the lower gears replaced in my cobra ('89 4.3L) - Drive, reverse, forward, clutch.<br />It's run great since then, but when I picked it up the mechanic mentioned to me that when the prop is spun manually with the...
  10. Liquid_force

    Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

    (I'm extremely frustrated so don't hold it against me.)<br /> WHY does it take me and a GOOD helper HOURS to get the sterndrive to slide back onto the boat?? WHY WHY WHY!!!!<br /><br />Last year we removed the drive for storage and it took us 3+ hrs to get it back on. <br />This year I took...
  11. Liquid_force

    Fairly basic recarpeting/fiberglass project

    Hey all,<br /><br />Prepping for a flooring job in the next couple weeks. Would like to put a bit more info together.<br /><br />-- The only marine carpet I found at Lowe's/Home Depot is 12 oz. and 6' wide. I can't access the boat right now to get a measurment on the floor, but the beam is...
  12. Liquid_force

    OMC - Vibration, u-joints? gimbal bearing? Both

    Hi,<br />I'm in the process of rounding up parts for spring maintenance.<br /><br />I've had my boat now for two seasons (beginning season 3). It '89 with a 4.3L OMC cobra. In that time I've had to have the lower unit gears replaced. It had an occasional "clunk" from the time of purchase -...
  13. Liquid_force

    OMC/Cobra - Rebuilt lower unit noise

    '89 4.3L -- Tore up the clutch mechanism in the lower unit early this season and had a new lower gearset installed.<br /><br />When I picked it up from the marina they pointed out that when the shifter is in neutral and the prop is manually spun there is an unusual soft grinding sound in the...
  14. Liquid_force

    My poor cobra :(

    What a bummer of a weekend. What was supposed to be a tune up for a 3-day wakeboarding vacation to one of the region's sweetest lakes turned into this...<br /><br />Ever since we got the boat (about a year ago), it's had an intermittent "clunk" in the drive only at low throttle, just before...
  15. Liquid_force

    Should it be this hard to start my OMC

    My 4.3 OMC is very tempermental when it comes to cold starts. I've only had it for 1 season so cold starts - probably less than 50, but there have only been 2 or 3 times that I didn't have to re-start it several times for it to finally keep running.<br /><br />I've tried pumping it - starting...
  16. Liquid_force

    4.3 OMC gimbal replacement??

    Last season I had some vibration during slow cruising and turning. I removed the sterndrive for the winter and the u-joints seem silky smooth. I haven't had a chance to inspect the Gimbal Bearing, but I'm assuming that's where my problem is. <br />I'm curious about how to remove the old and...
  17. Liquid_force

    4.3 OMC steering/sterndrive maint.

    Hi - Last spring I purchased an '89 19' sunbird with a 4.3 Omc/cobra set up. So far it appears the previous owner did minimal to below average maintenance on it. <br />There is something going on with the steering system - it seems to hang up every 1/8 turn of the wheel or so to where the stern...
  18. Liquid_force

    Steering pulsating/surging??

    Just replaced the pwr steering pump and got all the air bled. <br /><br />The problem is hard to explain so I'll try to make it as clear as I can. The boat seems to steer w/o a lot of force, however it wants to "surge" feeling as if the steering wheel has graduations every 1/16 of a rotation...
  19. Liquid_force

    Automotive Power Steering Pump?

    My power steering pump is leaking around the pulley shaft - bad enough that the system will be empty after a couple hours on the water.<br /><br />I'm just curious if it would be acceptable to replace it with a new pump from a regular chevy 4.3L or if it needs to be a marine part.<br /><br...
  20. Liquid_force

    OMC - Major pwr steering leak

    Owned the boat for about 6 weeks, had it on the water 3 times and hadn't noticed any major steering problems. 4th trip noticed the steering system felt almost as if it has graduations every 1/8th (or so) turn of the wheel, but still maneuvering fairly easily. Checked pwr steering fluid - it...
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