Search results

  1. Lou C

    Good brand of starter

    PS I am interested in one of these permanent magnet starters as well. However, I have heard that most makes of them use plastic drive gears...do any use all metal? It would be nice not to have to deal with that heavy starter in the bilge the next time I have to change it.
  2. Lou C

    A Safety tip on suspected hydro-locked motors, Mod, move as required

    ditto on the remote starter switch, one of the best tools to have when I did my top end overhaul. I just left it hooked up the whole time from disassembly to after it was done to check the compression. No sparks!
  3. Lou C

    Outdrive storage position if using mobile shrink wrap and trailering after?

    I just put my winter cover on yesterday. Takes about 1/2 hr to put up the frame then I drag the cover up and over it. Been using this about 12 years or so, I guess I've saved a bit of money not shrinking it every year. Usually I do pull the drive for winter, the advantage of this cover is I can...
  4. Lou C

    Anyone ever hear of Red Rhino marine parts?

    I was researching this company because if I have to eventually get another Cobra drive, Crowley marine sells what they call 'new' Cobra drives. I called them and asked who supplies them with the parts that you can't get from BRP any longer and they said Red Rhino. I don't know anything about...
  5. Lou C

    How Critical is Seasonal Drive Removal for Maintenance?

    Here's the center riser exhaust conversion with the Barr manifolds and elbows and the V/P exhaust pipes and hoses.
  6. Lou C

    the question of how to replace a solenoid...that got closed....

    The answer is yes you need to remove the starter, which if you have decent access is an easy job and replacing the solenoid is easy as well. I replaced on the starter that is on my boat about 5 years ago, and it still works fine. But before doing all that, you should be checking all the wiring...
  7. Lou C

    Coolant in oil

    I'm thinking you need to go more than that keep in mind you want the whole width of the area where the gasket sits, to be flat, clean and shiny metal. If you put em together like that, they will probably leak again.... Here is a pic of my new manifold when installing back in Aug of '17....you...
  8. Lou C

    if you have fuseholders on a battery or battery switch

    Most boats seem to have fuse holders added on to the battery or battery switch common terminal and most inboard gas boats have the battery and often the battery switch in the engine compartment. I came across this recently in figuring out my electrical issue. While you can buy a water proof fuse...
  9. Lou C

    Low voltage at dash volt meter and at ignition terminal on the ignition switch....

    This has been a more or less chronic problem on my '88 Four Winns with OMC I/O. The dash gauge will read low when I turn the key to the ignition position and the dash gauge reads 10-11 Volts. If I hook up a digital volt meter positive terminal to the ignition terminal on the switch and the other...
  10. Lou C

    I want to thank Kenny for his excellent OMC advice and guidance....

    I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank Kenny for his excellent OMC advice and guidance with different repairs for OMC owners. This is becoming harder and harder to find and is really helpful. I am lucky that I have an excellent OMC mechanic that is local to me who got my Cobra shift...
  11. Lou C

    What I learned about mechanical fuel pumps, and the safety overflow hose.....

    OK I had just rebuilt my Q-Jet and still had the 30 year old Carter mechanical pump on it. Well I replaced that petrified old yellow tygon hose for the fuel pump overflow, and in a few days, I saw what looked like gas in the new hose! So of course I replaced the pump with the Sierra one I bought...
  12. Lou C

    advice on 4.3 rebuild

    The 88 came with a roller cam/lifters and the 89 should have them too. When I took my 88 apart to replace the head gaskets and heads the lifters and cam lobes looked like new... You will need the marine style intake from the old engine as the automotive engine intake is probably different...
  13. Lou C

    454 Merc started on muffs was water coming out exhaust then not much.

    You may have to resize your pix in Microsoft paint or whatever you have on your computer. If the boat has a Bravo it may not suck in water when running on the muffs unless the impeller is in really good shape and your muffs fit very tightly. I'd use the Merc/Quicksilver muffs with the steel rod...
  14. Lou C

    Holley 4160 set up questions.....

    Hello all, I didn't want to rebuild my 30 year old Q-Jet again so started thinking about possible alternatives. There's Holley and Edelbrock. On this engine (OMC rigged 4.3) I do not think the Edelbrock would have fit because of the OMC shift linkage bracket and relays on the starboard side. The...
  15. Lou C

    Trim won't lower on 93 Chris Craft OMC cobra outdrive

    There is actually a manual release on the Cobra trip pump, it is a screw on trim pump near where the hydraulic lines come out.
  16. Lou C

    Help with Outdrive Removal for Bellow Replacement...

    The Cobra uses a gasket between the pivot housing and the upper drive and as long as you coat it well with gasket sealer and the bellows doesn't leak, it comes right off. 20 min job.... I honestly think it would have been a better plan, to haul it off to a good machine shop. I never liked the...
  17. Lou C

    First Time Mercruiser Oil Change - My Experience

    That pump may be why it took so long. A good vacuum pump will work better like the Topsider. I have been using one on my '88 OMC 4.3 and fabbed up an adapter for the male garden hose threads on the top of the dipstick tube. With this, it sucks out all the oil in less than 5 min. I use a Merc...
  18. Lou C

    Flame Arrestor

    I would not mod a flame arrestor. Take a look at Holley's or Edelbrock's websites, they do sell flame arrestors with dimensions. I have a 4bbl OMC style one for the Quadrajet (which also fits the Holley I bought as a replacement) that is pretty low. As you can see its about the same height as...
  19. Lou C

    exhaust flappers

    The flappers they used are the same as the ones used on the OMC Cobra and they only cause a problem if you had an over heat in the past that melted them, that would cause them to fall down into the exhaust pipe and they could possibly block the exhaust. Volvo said that they didn't think they...
  20. Lou C

    Rusty valve stems, what do I do next?

    The engine does not have to come out if you have good access. The compression test is a basic test that you can learn from any shop manual. I advise getting a hold of a Chevy engine manual and lean the right way. That sounds like a bad overheat, that probably scorched the rubber exhaust hoses...
Top