outdrive won't drop

[Aquaman-PSD]

Friend of mine bought a boat recently with the 3.8 OMC and a cobra outdrive. it was running fine until this past saturday. when we backed into the water we couldn't get his tilt to work... it has always worked fine but for whatever reason it was completely dead... didn't make any noise or anything.
I am hoping that it is just a bad connection or a bad switch. I know these motors have that "goofy" spinning gear tilt instead of rams but I know nothing about them. Anyone have any thoughts or has this happened to anyone?

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: outdrive won't drop

the 3.8 was never mated to a Cobra drive.
sounds like you have an 800 series drive, not Cobra.

If there is no clicking, probably a bad connection or severed wire from the helm shifter to the relay. Try jumping the tilt relay with the green wire. Blue = sky = up, Green= grass = down.
If that makes it work, follow the wiring to the shifter. check the fuse under the dash feeding that circuit.

 

[Aquaman-PSD]

Re: outdrive won't drop

That is kind of what I was thinking. Are the 800 series known for being as testy as the cobra outdrives? I don't know much about OMC I/O. I am an OB guy but enjoy tinkering on most anything if I don't think I'll get in over my head.... which I tend to do anyway!

 

[southkogs]

Re: outdrive won't drop

Are the 800 series known for being as testy as the cobra outdrives?

LOL - Do bears go potty in the woods?

I've got the electric shift Stringer ... it definitely requires some "quality time" in the garage. On the upside: the systems are relatively simple and pretty stout. I've been able to keep mine running relatively easily, and I'm not very mechanically inclined.

That tilt on the Stringer is a pretty simple electric motor setup. Follow Howard's instructions, and maybe do a quick check on solenoids. If everything that way checks out, lean toward it being the tilt motor ... but it's a real booger to get at that motor, so hold off chasing that one down for just a little.