Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

[Notlovinmyboat]

A few months ago I purchased an 88 Bayliner with a 2.3 Ford and an OMC Cobra outdrive. The first time out the points went bad, I fixed that and they were fine. The second time out the water pump burned up, also burned both exhaust bellows, melted the shift cable, melted the throttle cable. After replacing the gaskets, shift cables,throttle cable, bellows, tightening up all hoses.... I fire it up and it all works great. Except one problem, I now have water in the lower unit. I tested it with muffs on not wanting to take it out again and get stranded. I put 2 quarts of new oil in before I ran it and ten minutes later drained out almost 3 quarts of oil and water. So my question is the obvious.... what did I overlook? Why do I have water in the lower unit?

Any ideas, suggestions are greatly appreciated. Obviously I have ran out of ideas on my own.

Thanks!

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Welcome to iboats.
This belongs in the Mercruiser/Volvo/OMC I/O and Inboard repair forum.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Do the drain/fill plugs have o-rings on them? Are u talking about the pickup pump in the lower unit? If so are you sure you put the water pump back together properly with a new gasket? That's an awful lot of water. Let it drain overnite so all the fluid is out. There are 2 seals that are likely to fail on Cobras, water pump shaft seal, & prop shaft seal. My money is on the water pump seal. Look at them & see if any fluid is leaking past. Did you take a test run on this boat before u bought it?

 

[marunr]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Did you check the oil in the outdrive before you replaced the bellows? The water could have gotten in there when you ruined the bellows, or the may have been leaking already. There is only one exhaust bellows, the other is the drive bellows, and if that was leaking, as I said, the water could have already been in there.

 

[Notlovinmyboat]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Thanks for both responses and I'll do my best to give as much information as I can.

1. Yes, I checked the oil in the outdrive before replacing the bellows.

2. Yes the drain and fill plugs have o-rings on them however, the lower unit was not submerged in water at the time it filled up I was using muffs. In less than 5 minutes it was filled with water.

3. No, I am not talking about the pick up pump in the lower unit I am referring to the water pump on top of the lower unit behind the cover.

4. I have not checked the water pump shaft seal or the prop shaft seal. I have no idea how to get to these seals or if complete disassembly is required in order to do so.

5. The first time out with the boat there was no water in the lower unit and the second time out there was no water in the lower unit. Water appeared after I replaced the shifter cable, lower unit transom gasket. Upon start up it ran fine and shifts fine however I now have the water in the lower unit.

I hope this can give you a little more information. I have a manual at the moment I can refer to but will only have it for a few more days and then I have to return it to the guy I am borrowing it from.

If you would like to reach me directly you can email me at jeremymatco@insightbb.com.

Thanks to both of you! I really appreciate any insight you can provide.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Ok, that's the pump I was referring to. If it wasen't in water then it's not the prop shaft seal. I have a suspicion that the water pump shaft seal was damaged. That would definetely cause your problem. The seal is located inside the water pump adaptor. You need to pull the cover, etc. off the pump to see it. But, you won't see if it's leaking as you drained the oil. You could fill the drive again, run it for a couple minutes, pull the pump cover, & see if the seal is leaking, but you'll be wasting oil. It's up to you. That's what I would do. You have to pull the adaptor to change out that seal. By the way, when you changed the gasket, did you get any gasket sealer in the relief slot on the adapter? That's a no-no. If you did it may have pressurised that seal causing it to fail, or it may have gotten hot causing it to warp.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Your water pump and the upper seal MAY be OK

MAY

If I understand correctly, you ran it in the water and all was OK with the gearcase, if was AFTER you had the gearcase off that it started to get water into the oil. Correct?

Pull the gearcase again, this time be very careful as it comes off, looking to see if the O-ring (which is the strange shaped water seal between the gearcase and the transon hood/mount) is in place correctly.

When this seal failsl water fills the cavity, thte bellows area and is screwed into the upper gearcase, not really a bad seal on the upper case, it does a very good joob of keeping the oil in, it's just there is supposed to be air on the outside of it, not water.

Replace the seal and gasket, carefully.

Change oil a couple of times til it looks good.

Be happy and more careful next time.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Pull the gearcase again, this time be very careful as it comes off, looking to see if the O-ring (which is the strange shaped water seal between the gearcase and the transon hood/mount) is in place correctly.

This seal really does nothing to keep water out of the bellows or gearcase.

I would pull the drive and see if you have water in the bellows. If there is no water in the bellows, I would pressure test the drive.

 

[marunr]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

I would pull the drive and see if you have water in the bellows. If there is no water in the bellows, I would pressure test the drive.

Me too. The new bellows may be leaking.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

He's getting water in l/u running off the muffs. How will that cause water to get in the bellows? Maaybe some, but not to the extent he describes.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

He's getting water in l/u running off the muffs. How will that cause water to get in the bellows? Maaybe some, but not to the extent he describes.

I didn't catch that. If water is entering the unit while on the muffs, the only place it really can get in is through the water pump seal.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Exactly. If the u- joint bellows had a tear in it, some water may get in there splashing from the exhaust. Otherwise, my suspicion is that seal.

 

[Notlovinmyboat]

Re: Need Help with 88' Cobra Outdrive

Update:

I removed the water pump shaft seal and found rubber under the seal where the impeller came apart. The seal is also hard as a rock, guessing from the heat. I've got parts on order so I hope this fixes my problems.

I'll keep you all posted as to my progress.

Thanks to all!!!! This forum is a great help!