More drive ??

[florida gator]

My thanks to those who responded to my last? M.O.P.s advice was right on.

In my haste to check what was advised, I removed the wrong screw 1st. The screw I originally removed, is on the side of the drive. The highest one on the left (looking from the rear). My questions are:

1 Should water have pored out of that hole once the scre was removed?

2 How can I get the screw back in? The threaded part on the inside has dropped and is laying on it's side. I can lift it with a small screw driver. But, it imediately drops back down.

[BUIZILLA]

You took out the screw on the left side middle of the case right?

ut oh...

you MUST remove the outdrive to fetch the little backing nut that fell into the case, if you tip the drive up, the nut will disappear forever.. but you can't remove the drive unless you tilt the drive first right??

so...go to OMC, get a nut FIRST !!

The housing is pressurized, so forget the caplug idea wink

Then remove the outdrive and snake the nut in with a long pair of forceps, or needle nose pliers. There should be a washer sealing the screw to the case.

J

don't ask me how I know this...

I said...don't ask frown

[florida gator]

Leave it to me to turn what may have been minor into what now sounds like major work. :mad:

Should there have been water in there?

Is removing the drive the absolute only way of fixing this?

[MOP]

You have pulled the Classic Cobra Boo Boo!! That is the water bypass circut, much as I hate to say now you must pull the drive and fish out the S/S screw plate thats laying in there. When you get it out the first thing you do is to glue it with rubber cement to a hack saw blade, thats the only way you can get it into position to screw that fat screw back in. Clean things up and don't apply sealer till after you get the first few threads caught, then goop it and sock it up pretty tight at which point you yank the hack saw blade out. HAVE FUN!!!!

[BUIZILLA]

Yes, there IS supposed to be water in that outside chamber. That hole is there if you use the OMC flush kit attachment, which is used without running the engine. Attach your mouse ears, turn on the hose, and stand in front of it :p

There is NO other choice :( , believe me, been there myself... Get a spare nut first, in case that one goes vamoos, and get a patient healthy helper, it's not that hard, just aggravating. A helper wink (emphasis on healthy) is pretty much mandatory to help align the floppy drive shaft, and not tearing the rubber boot on re-installation, pay close attention to that taper seat on the boot entry, eek! thats the HARDEST part on an OMC Cobra. If you were closer, I'd help ya and have it done in 30 minutes.

Before you do that, remove the oil level screw up top, with the drive down, there is a scribed line on the pin, that is the oil level line. It should be at, or slightly above that line, when cold.

Then tilt the drive about 1/2 way up, remove the bottom plug, and drain out about 2-4 ounces, replace plug quickly. If the oil looks good, just top off the top to the correct level with the drive level. If you have to change it, there is a VERY SPECIFIC procedure to follow.

You can also remove the top cap, 4 screws, and inspect the upper gears and casing, and gear backlash. If the oil is slightly chocolate milk up top, the oil will be even lighter at the bottom. There is an o-ring on the top cover that may have to be replaced. Your going to the OMC store for the missing nut anyways right?...get the top o-ring.

Hope this helps..

J

[MOP]

Buizilla you can use the old plate over again its nothing more than 1/8 S/S about an inch long and half inch wide taped for 3/8-16. I've had quite a few customers do the dasterdly deed. I use a thin wire hook and pull it out its no big just a pain pulling the drive, if you tip the drive just fish it out of the the water passage, never lost one yet, good time to check bellows.

PS Buizilla you mean get the outer screw that plastic piece of Do Do. Mine was bad from someone fooling with it I made a new flush plug from 2S and used a bolt I know that will be there for many years.