Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

[renosguy]

I removed the coolant drain plug on the port side of the unit this fall. Only to discover that the threaded part is gone. It looks to me like the drain plug treads into a plastic insert piece in the side of the upper unit. Is anyone familiar with this ? As it stands the drain plug can't be threaded into place...

Cheers,

Dale

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

I removed the coolant drain plug on the port side of the unit this fall. Only to discover that the threaded part is gone. It looks to me like the drain plug treads into a plastic insert piece in the side of the upper unit. Is anyone familiar with this ? As it stands the drain plug can't be threaded into place...

Cheers,

Dale

That wasn't the drainplug.

 

[renosguy]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

It leads into the water passage for the upper unit. What is it then?

 

[dubs283]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

it is a drain plug, not for coolant but a casting void that does collect water

the drain plug was an afterthought due to the water freezing inside and cracking the case

you will need to pull the drive and fish out the "nut" that is inside the casting void and re-install the plug while holding the "nut in place

the best way to drain this area in the future is loosen the six nuts holding the drive to the bell housing and sliding the drive back 1/2"

the later model cobras have drain plugs on the bell housing for draining the void

 

[Akros]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

welcome to the club! I did this a few weeks ago, but I managed to get it back on without taking the drive off. There is a rectangular metal piece that has a threaded hole in it that the screw threads into. It is bigger than the hole and holds the the plastic insert in using the screw. In my case the metal piece didn't fall far. I ground down a cheap plastic dental mirror so it could fit in the hole so I could see where it went. I had the drive in the up position so it fell toward the bow. I dropped the drive down so it would be easier to get out. Once I found it I used a piece of wire, bent the tip 90 deg, and fished it out using the mirror so I could see what I was doing. Once I got it out I got some fishing line, looped it through the plastic insert and around the metal piece. keeping the line around the metal piece I carefully put it back inside the drive and pulled on the line so it would stay in position. Then I put the plastic insert back into place while still keeping tension on the line. Next I spread the 2 pieces of the line out so I could put the screw into the plastic insert. then I carefully turned the screw until it caught the threads in the metal piece. once I knew it caught I pulled the line completely out and tightend the screw. I did this by myself but I think it would be easier with 2 people, one to spread the line out and one to put the screw in.

I hope this helps.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

welcome to the club! I did this a few weeks ago, but I managed to get it back on without taking the drive off. There is a rectangular metal piece that has a threaded hole in it that the screw threads into. It is bigger than the hole and holds the the plastic insert in using the screw. In my case the metal piece didn't fall far. I ground down a cheap plastic dental mirror so it could fit in the hole so I could see where it went. I had the drive in the up position so it fell toward the bow. I dropped the drive down so it would be easier to get out. Once I found it I used a piece of wire, bent the tip 90 deg, and fished it out using the mirror so I could see what I was doing. Once I got it out I got some fishing line, looped it through the plastic insert and around the metal piece. keeping the line around the metal piece I carefully put it back inside the drive and pulled on the line so it would stay in position. Then I put the plastic insert back into place while still keeping tension on the line. Next I spread the 2 pieces of the line out so I could put the screw into the plastic insert. then I carefully turned the screw until it caught the threads in the metal piece. once I knew it caught I pulled the line completely out and tightend the screw. I did this by myself but I think it would be easier with 2 people, one to spread the line out and one to put the screw in.

I hope this helps.

Good idea but it would have been just as fast to pull the drive.U-joints need greased anyway...

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

Congrats on your endoscopic surgery success.

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

Wow! 'nutcase

 

[Akros]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

I just got the boat and it is my first I/O. I do plan on removing the drive and greasing the U joint soon. I have never taken a drive off before and this only took me about half an hour. I purposely did it again to replace the o ring and plastic insert and it only took me about 5 minutes.

 

[renosguy]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

Thanks. I suspected that the "nut" had fallen off into the water gallery. I like the ingenious mirror fishing line trick, but think I'll pull the unit and grease things. Obviously my first I/O too....

Glad to know what to do instead of just plugging away blind

Cheers

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

Yeah, you removed the "Never Remove" plug.

Now since you need to remove the drive anyway to check the alignment and U-joints, etc, it will also be a good time to retrieve the "inside" nut.



Cheers,


Rick

 

[cr2k]

Re: Cobra upper unit coolant drain plug

I guess it's time to repeat:

If it is/was covered by a decal or is a phillips head...It is NOT meant to be touched.