KIng Cobra Shifting problem - No reverse

[Bvinc]

Unit used to shift Ok. Unit was completely rebuilt in 2005.
I had boat in shop & they removed lower unit to repair/weld on lower skeg. Lower unit has been re-installled.
At first unit seems to shift OK. After running about 20 - 30 minutes it becomes hard to shift out of forward to neutral and has no reverse at all. When you starting shifting to reverse the RPM raises but it will not engage into reverse (It's like it is in neutral). Could this be a mis alignment when re-installing unit?
They changed oil in lower unit. Does King Cobra take a different oil than mercruiser? Could this be problem?

[mrfixxall]

Take it back to the shop that worked on it,, they probably didnt put it into forward gear when they installed it.. All you will get is forward and nutrel and no reverse....As for drive lube i put mercury hp lube in all drives including omc,,(except volvo) you just have to make sure you have to fill the lower and the upper housings seperate....if they didnt then kiss the upper good bye,it will distroy everything in the upper housing..

[Bvinc]

Thanks for the response.
I talked to mech & he says he did have unit in forward when he re-installed lower unit. He says he has adjusted the cable out as far as it will go.
He also says that he filled the unit from the bottom up & that oil came out of the top hole.
This is the people a Victory Marine were Scott (harbormaster) works. Mech told me after unit was re-installed that he doewsn't know much about OMC.
They did an excellant job on everything else they did. I've already taken it back once & they tried to adjust it. I don't really want to take it back to them since they are not familiar with it. He said one of the cables has no adjustment it is slotted & fits only 1 way. Other cable out of control box is adjusted all the way out.

Any other suggestions.

[Greg K]

Start with a new shift cable from the shift bracket to the drive.
You may even want to put in a new control cable from the controller to the shift bracket.
Make sure the shift interupter is working. It's necessary for getting it out of gear more than getting into gear.
Don't ask me why I know :bonk:

[MOP]

Qoute!!!
He also says that he filled the unit from the bottom up & that oil came out of the top hole.

This has been stated many times on this board!!
It is very important to fill ALL Cobra drives through the fill by the cav plate, filling from the bottom they can and will develope air pockets. Pull the top screw I bet no oil comes out, fair chance the upper gear set is burned!!

Phil

[mrfixxall]

Qoute!!!
He also says that he filled the unit from the bottom up & that oil came out of the top hole.

This has been stated many times on this board!!
It is very important to fill ALL Cobra drives through the fill by the cav plate, filling from the bottom they can and will develope air pockets. Pull the top screw I bet no oil comes out, fair chance the upper gear set is burned!!
Phil

What mop said!!!!!!,,,their are three plugs,,1 in the bottom of the drive,1 in the middle of the drive(by the cavation plate and 1 at the top of the drive..
If you pull the middle plug oil should come out approx 1 qt if not then its junk..
Just remember if their is no oil in the upper then all the crap that broke in the upper is now in the lower as well so you wont just get away replacing just the upper half.. You have to dissemble the lower and rebuild it as well..

[Bvinc]

I will check oil level next weekend. Keep my fingers crossed that drive is ok. It did not give me any trouble in forward gear at all. How can you tell when upper drive gets burned up?

[Greg K]

Phil,

That's just not true. I have changed my lube many times and filled from the bottom only. If you know how much lube it should hold and how you pump it in, then you have no issue. On a King, there is no fill at the cavitation plate, since 1990.


Qoute!!!
He also says that he filled the unit from the bottom up & that oil came out of the top hole.

This has been stated many times on this board!!
It is very important to fill ALL Cobra drives through the fill by the cav plate, filling from the bottom they can and will develope air pockets.

[Bvinc]

I check my drive this weekend. The Donzi is a 1990 22' Classic.

Thanks for the help.

[mrfixxall]

I will check oil level next weekend. Keep my fingers crossed that drive is ok. It did not give me any trouble in forward gear at all. How can you tell when upper drive gets burned up?


When you pull the center plug, if the oil has silver metallic particles in it...
If theirs oil in it..

Did it go into reverse at all? you can disconnect the cable that goes to the drive and shift it by hand to see if it goes into reverse..( with the engine off and see if if locks into gear by hand by rotating the prop..

[RedDog]

Phil,
That's just not true. I have changed my lube many times and filled from the bottom only. If you know how much lube it should hold and how you pump it in, then you have no issue. On a King, there is no fill at the cavitation plate, since 1990.

I always filled my old '90 King Cobra from the bottom as well. I would pump in the specified amount and then check the level with the dip stick on the top. I would periodically check the level at the top using the dipstick as well.

I suspect it is a problem of having a old /stretched cable

[MOP]

I don't care what you guys think you are taking a chance with one of the finest US made drives, true it uses the best of Volvo technology and metallurgy but still made here. The diagrams below are first the Cobra and second the King. If we were to catch one of the yard techs filling from the bottom I can tell you he would catch one hell of a ration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RickR]

I hate to add to the arguement BUT OMC King Cobra Service Manual (late model, copyright 1989) states, pg 2-13

"Fill vertical drive with OMC Hi-Vis gearcase lubricant through the oil level dipstick location. The vertical drive is properly filled when the oil level appears at the mark on the dipstick."

In application, I always had to fill SLOWLY AND wait for lube to drain into case before checking level.

[Greg K]

Like I said before, there is no fill at the middle since 1990.
Pic of 1989 lower and pic of 1990 lower.

I don't care what you guys think you are taking a chance

[Bvinc]

I have had it in the water twice since unit was re-installed. Both times it shifted in reverse with no problem to get boat off the trailer. I idled out of marina & ran boat for about 15 minutes at about 35 to 40 MPH. When I got back to dock, both times it became hard to shift out of forward back to neutral & then no reverse. The lever just came back & RPM increased like I was still in neutral.


I have never shifted by hand/manually. Where do I disconnect cable to try this?

[Greg K]

You need to remove the drive shift cable from the bracket by removing the cotter pin and lock pin from the lever arm. Use a set of vise grips on the end of the cable or a small screw driver thru the hole at the end of the cable. You can check if it goes into gear without the motor running. When in gear the prop will spin in one direction only depending if it's in forward or reverse.

[MOP]

Like I said before, there is no fill at the middle since 1990.
Pic of 1989 lower and pic of 1990 lower.

Check item #4 in the first or stbd view!! The second view is the port side, post a stbd side view!

[mrfixxall]

You need to remove the drive shift cable from the bracket by removing the cotter pin and lock pin from the lever arm. Use a set of vise grips on the end of the cable or a small screw driver thru the hole at the end of the cable. You can check if it goes into gear without the motor running. When in gear the prop will spin in one direction only depending if it's in forward or reverse.

the pics are the wrong side of the drive. all the omc drives had 3 plugs in them unless its the omc/volvo drive they had two....are you mabe confusing the drives?:wink:

[Greg K]

Guys, I'm done with this one. I'm sorry I can't make it any clearer for you two.

[joel3078]

OK ladies here is the deal. There are different variations of cobra and king cobra drives. I can only tell you what mine is like. Here is the one I have and pics from genuine king cobra service manuals. Mine only has 2 screws. The dipstick at the top and the drain screw on the bottom. There is NO MIDDLE SCREW above or below the cavitation plate. Mine is a AMH version of king cobra. It has the hump and looks like a current model Volvo SX drive. I fill from the bottom via cheap ass quart oil bottle pump and go thru 3.22 quarts (103 ounces). It takes a $hitload of pumping and is a slow process. This is real simple. If oil comes out the dipstick top hole before 3-1/4 quarts is pumped in, then there is an air bubble. Wait for the bubble to burp, (about 2 beers) and then pump the rest of the oil in.

I've been told by original owner, that if this drive starts to not shift correctly, trailer it in and have the shift cable, linkages, etc. adjusted and lubed. It's a bit of a finess setup but when done right, it shifts very smoothly. Do the shift slowly and don't force it.

[RickR]

OMC must have changed their fill instructions between 89 and 91 due to the amount of time required to fill from the top.

[Bvinc]

I'll take a look at it this friday & post what I find

Thanks for the help

[Bvinc]

I checked outdrive this weekend. The fluid is OK. It's just barely above the mark to add fluid. ? Maybe becasue of the burp/air bubble issue. I disconnected shifting cable to outdrive. I manually shifted into forward & checked prop - All Ok. When I manually shift to reverse, nothing at all when I rotate prop. It almost acts like it trys to catch gear but never does.

? Do you think this is a install or cable problem from lower unit being pulled. I have a experienced mobile mech coming out Thur 24th. He was refered by on eof my neighbors at the lake & has been a marine mech for 35 years & is very familiar with the King Cobra units. He even has the red shift cable in stock on his truck. Wish me luck.

Bobby

[mrfixxall]

I checked outdrive this weekend. The fluid is OK. It's just barely above the mark to add fluid. ? Maybe becasue of the burp/air bubble issue. I disconnected shifting cable to outdrive. I manually shifted into forward & checked prop - All Ok. When I manually shift to reverse, nothing at all when I rotate prop. It almost acts like it trys to catch gear but never does.
? Do you think this is a install or cable problem from lower unit being pulled. I have a experienced mobile mech coming out Thur 24th. He was refered by on eof my neighbors at the lake & has been a marine mech for 35 years & is very familiar with the King Cobra units. He even has the red shift cable in stock on his truck. Wish me luck.
Bobby

Sounds like the shift cable is streched and i would replace it..
good luck

[willie d]

I've delt with the same problem. The shift cable was the problem. The boat would go into forward, but reverse was just like the boat was in neutral. I think when you are putting the boat into reverse the direction that thecable is trying to push the cable adn you are not getting reverse. When you put the boat in foward you are pulling which makes it easier on a weak cable. Replace the cable.

[Bvinc]

I am meeting mobile marine mech. thurs mornin to repair unit. He is bringing new cable. Keeping fingers crossed that cable will take care of it.

[wrasse]

Would look into cone/cups/shifting forks also.

[Bvinc]

Shifting forks - pretty simple

What is cone/cups?

[sctiberio]

your cable could just be out of adjustment. check your manual. i had the exact same sysptoms and the cable from the motor to the drive was out of adjustment.

[Bvinc]

We pulled lower unit back & shift cable collar at the lower unit shifter had separated from the cable by about a 1/2'. we replaced cable & everything works great.

BVinv