Need some general direction - for my neighbors kid

harringtondav

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Drive has to be in neutral when pulling or reattaching that drive. While you have the drive off may as well check u-joint bellows, gimbal bearing & u- joints. Cheap insurance, parts not that expensive & not too difficult to replace. If they check out ok, pump some grease in if needed. One very important point. When you refill that drive do not fill it from bottom drain plug, or he'll grenade the drive in no time flat. Fill it ftom the middle plug on starboard side to avoid an air pocket. It will take about 2 quarts. When I was wrenching on mine I would fill it, wait a few hours & check it again before running it. There's a quart pump you can buy with a fitting on the end that will screw into that middle fill plug. Makes it a lot easier.

"Drive has to be in neutral when pulling or reattaching that drive. While you have the drive off may as well check u-joint bellows, gimbal bearing & u- joints. Cheap insurance, parts not that expensive & not too difficult to replace."

- Thanks, and pulling the drive is my intention. The condition of his exhaust bellows has me worried about the condition of the DS bellows. I could meet my promise by just dropping the lower hsg, but the kid wants to boat in the upper Miss river with his three kids. Once I've got my hands on the thing, I won't allow a catastrophe.

Also, thanks for the refill advice. I've got a couple lube pumps that fit my Merc's plugs. Will see if they work on his OMC. His Cobra has more plugs than I can shake a stick at. I plan to dig into Boatinfo's maintenance pages for refill, lube spec, etc. before I cut him loose with his boat.
 

harringtondav

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There's no speedo hookup.
I just fabricated the wrench so I don't know its the merc tool will work.
BTW the exhaust bellows comes with holes in it.

Thanks, good info. I'm planning to pull the drive so I can assess the unis and gimbal bearing.
 

Lou C

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The Merc/Quicksilver pump works fine on the Cobra. Be careful refilling it with gear oil (I use Merc Hi Performance, works great and easier to find than the OMC/Evinrude stuff). The drives are well designed with an easy to replace impeller, easy to replace d/s bellows and grease-able u joints and gimble bearings. The shift linkage adjustment is confusing but once you figure it out they shift very well. As long as I can get parts I have no desire to get rid of mine. It has held up to 15+ years of salt water moorage here in Long Island NY. The transom assembly is better designed than the Merc Alpha, you never have problems with the leaks and rotted steering arms that are common with the Merc drives in the salt.

https://www.crowleymarine.com/support/omc-tech-articles.html

Take a look at this, they have articles on pulling/re-installing the drive and the lube oil change. For shift adjustments, see the Midnight Wolf site that sells the alignment tools and has instructions. I did it myself in about 3 hrs one day. Not hard you just have to take your time.
 

Lou C

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In the 15+ years I have had it, only had to go to the shop 2x, one for the initial shift adjustment and the other to replace a bearing carrier and trim lines, those were over 10 years ago.
 

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harringtondav

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As long as I can get parts I have no desire to get rid of mine.
https://www.crowleymarine.com/suppor...-articles.html

Take a look at this, they have articles on pulling/re-installing the drive and the lube oil change. For shift adjustments, see the Midnight Wolf site that sells the alignment tools and has instructions. I did it myself in about 3 hrs one day. Not hard you just have to take your time.

Thanks for the links Lou. It shows the same steps as Boatinfo. Both state to use a lifting eye and hoist rated at 500#. That is close to 400# more than my Alpha II which I can manage by hand. Is the Cobra really that much heavier?

Marineengine dot com has very good part diagrams and availability. I used their site to get p/ns needed for this project. I take their p/ns and Google for the best price. Normally theirs isn't.
 

kpg7121

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Thanks for the links Lou. It shows the same steps as Boatinfo. Both state to use a lifting eye and hoist rated at 500#. That is close to 400# more than my Alpha II which I can manage by hand. Is the Cobra really that much heavier?

Marineengine dot com has very good part diagrams and availability. I used their site to get p/ns needed for this project. I take their p/ns and Google for the best price. Normally theirs isn't.
The exhaust bellows is designed with slits in it. I'd be more concerned with the drive bellows. They tend to wear if the drive was left in the up position for long periods. I use to muscle my Cobra on & off & I ain't no bodybuilder. You might want to have another gasket on hand in case the first one is damaged. Been there, done that!
 

kenny nunez

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If you have a shop hoist you will have a much easier time. The outer area of the C-V joint has a snug fit at the inlet section of the bellows, you have to put the drive in gear and rotate the propeller to get it to slip through.
The “V” shaped receiver that mates with the shift bell crank was called the “chicken lips” by the OMC technicians.
The thread is 1/2” 13 in the cover.
 

kpg7121

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If you have a shop hoist you will have a much easier time. The outer area of the C-V joint has a snug fit at the inlet section of the bellows, you have to put the drive in gear and rotate the propeller to get it to slip through.
The “V” shaped receiver that mates with the shift bell crank was called the “chicken lips” by the OMC technicians.
The thread is 1/2” 13 in the cover.
You cannot install a Cobra drive with it in forward gear. If you attempt that the bellcrank will not line up with the "chicken lips" of the shift rod. It won't work. It must be in neutral. And you don't rotate the prop either. The issue with Cobras is alignment. If the gimbal bearing is out of alignment with the coupler those drives are nearly impossible to install. That's why it's good practice to check the alignment with an alignment tool before trying to mount the drive. And checking the alignment & is a must if a new gimbal bearing was installed. If it's out of alignment & the drive is muscled in the coupler can dynamite & to replace it is a major project as it requires engine & drive removal. And those couplers ain't cheap.
 

harringtondav

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kenny nunez I have the hoist, and responses tell me to use it on reinstallation for the drive. I checked one of my lifting eyes today and it fits in the cap.

kpg7121 I hear you about the shifter and O/D being in neutral to mate up. I'm pulling the drive to check DS bellows, Unis and gimbal bearing. Hopefully all will be good and I can slip it back on with a new bell hsg gasket. But if the coupler yoke splines rotate a bit during the repair, will it find it's way home in the engine coupler in with everything set in neutral?
 

Lou C

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It is weight wise probably the same as an Alpha, maybe a bit heavier, you can walk it off by hand, I made a wood stand with casters but as I got older I decided to get a real drive cart with a jack which makes it easy. As far as installing, I used the cart to get the height right, and then use a thin long screwdriver through the u joints, to turn the driveshaft to get the splines to line up with the drive and shifter in neutral. Sometimes it goes right on and sometimes it fights you like they all do. Trying to get the pivot housing and the upper gear housing lined up square with each other and holding the u joints straight while sliding the driveshaft in helps, as does lining up the gimble bearing with the tool first.
 

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kenny nunez

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If the bellows has to be changed it can be done without removing the pivot housing. One of the problems that happens when removing the large socket head bolts is the helicoils will sometime also back out with the bolt.
 

harringtondav

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If the bellows has to be changed it can be done without removing the pivot housing. One of the problems that happens when removing the large socket head bolts is the helicoils will sometime also back out with the bolt.

Thanks Kenny. Once I'm in this deep I plan on changing that bellows. I've got a process for Loctiting helicoils back into place using a greased jamb nut bolt as a driver. The kid and his dad are paying for the parts, and paying me with Busch Light and Jim Beam. Per earlier there are three grandkids at stake, and both dad and son are hapless with all things mechanical.

Yesterday I drained the lube and popped the top cover for a look see. The upper gears are in very good shape for a 31 yr old drive. But I can tell it ain't no virgin. Someone stripped the screw head in the lower pinion bearing retainer. I hope that pinion bearing and shaft are usable. Unlikely my Alpha bearing driver & puller will fit.
 

harringtondav

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As mentioned first, I speak fluent Alpha Gen II. Now I'm learning Cobra.
So far I've learned:
Remove the drive.
Measure the depth of the water in the DS bellows.

Other findings:
Gimbal bearing seems OK. Well greased and good for service in my mind.
Unis also look OK. Also well greased.
No lube in the water puddle. Assume gear yoke shaft seal also OK.

Questions:
My Merc Alpha alignment tool slid through the Cobra coupler easier than with my Alpha in 23 yrs.
- The coupler yoke measured the same 1.3745" gimbal bearing OD, and the coupler splines measured (as well as you can measure the OD of a 17 tooth, 16 DP spline) the same as a Merc coupler spline, same tooth count. My Merc alignment tool has a female coupler spline pilot diameter of 1.011". Is this tool valid for aligning a Cobra?

- That DS bellows needs to go. Gimbal assy repairs are my major PIA with the Alpha. Above posts have indicated the Cobra DS bellows is more user friendly. Is it? I'll check Boatinfo for the steps, but I'm hoping for a break here.

Likely more questions when I extract that bent prop shaft.

Answers and advice will be much appreciated.
Thanks, Dave

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Lou C

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OK the standard alignment tool will work just fine on the Cobra, that's what I've been using for 10+ years.
Bellows, there are 2 ways to do it, one is to remove the exhaust bellows underneath it first (need a snap ring pliers to get the end of it off that fits into the pivot housing, other end has a hose clamp).Then by tiling the pivot housing, you can replace the D/S bellows leaving the pivot in place. I had heard of this method and asked my mechanics and they said it is better to do it the book way (remove the pivot housing) because you can better see that the end of the bellows that goes on the gimble housing really fit in correctly. So I did it that way. There are also 2 fiber washers between the pivot and the swivel houisng that may stay in place or fall out when you remvoe the bolts that hold the pivot housing on, I replaced those because they looked worn, and used some Evinrude triple guard grease to hold them in place when re-assembling. Also put OMC gasket sealer on the threads, that prevents corrosion and seizing.

Now normally you would disconnect the shift cable retainer when you do this, but then you have to re-adjust it afterward. So what I did was, disconnect the cable up on the engine bracket and rigged up a bungee cord to hold the pivot housing when I changed the bellows, this way I did not have to re-do the cable adjustment. On the Cobra, there are 2 special tools you need to accurately set up the transom cable, my method will save you having to get these tools. It is simple to disconnect the cable on the engine bracket, one end is just a cotter pin, the other is a trunnion held into the load lever with a cotter pin, I just put duct tape on the trunnion to keep it from turning (which would have changed the adjustment).

The Cobra bellows has a ridge on the inner lip that fits over the gimble flange, and there is a groove in the flange, that lip has to fit into the flange. I'll post up pix to make it more clear. The clamp for the DS bellows goes at about 1:00-2:00 o'clock position, this keeps it from chafing the bellows when you turn. The back end of the bellows just snaps into the pivot housing, no clamp there. I used OMC gasket sealer on the gimble flange to make a perfect seal. There are also a couple of ground straps that have a tab that has to go under the clamp on both the DS bellows and the exhaust bellows if I recall. And the slits on the bottom of the exhaust bellows are normal.

As far as parts, I'd use OE for both bellows, they are good quality and the first one installed on our boat lasted more than 10 years before small cracks appeared. Any Evinrude dealer can order parts for Cobras.

Before you reinstall the drive, make sure to clean out and grease the pocket in the pivot housing where the shift bell crank lives, water deposits can cause it to get stiff. I will oil the shaft with some motor oil which gets right in there and then pack the pocket with OMC triple guard grease which keeps out water.

When you reinstall the drive, get a can of OMC gasket sealer, or Merc perfect seal (Permatex Aviation also works) and coat both mating surfaces of the drive and pivot housing where the gasket fits and also coat that gasket on both sides. Also coat the threads of the six studs that hold the drive on. This will seal up that pocket and also make it easier to remove the drive next time.
 

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harringtondav

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I split the outdrive. Man, that was a knock-down-drag-out I ended up hanging the drive from the lifting eye/hoist and pounding off the lower case with an oak block and 3# machinist's maul. The water tube seal was really, really sealing.

Another question:
How does the gear lube communicate between the two housings? There is no drilled passage like my Alpha II. The only wet area I saw was around the hub of the lower driveshaft bearing carrier. How do I reseal the case joint to avoid lube leaks and water entry?

Observation:
Rust wouldn't stop falling out of the exhaust passage in both cases. Large flakes and lots of them. I'm betting this 31 yr old 3.0L exhaust tube is rotting from the inside out. Thoughts?

My new long jaw snap ring pliers will arrive tomorrow and I'll extract that bent prop shaft. Stay tuned.

Cobra lower case.jpgcobra upper case.jpgCobra rust.jpg
 

Lou C

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I split the outdrive. Man, that was a knock-down-drag-out I ended up hanging the drive from the lifting eye/hoist and pounding off the lower case with an oak block and 3# machinist's maul. The water tube seal was really, really sealing.
I have an easy way to get these apart, what holds it on tight is not the water tube grommet but one of the o rings that seals out the water from the exhaust flow...they get crusted on with water and salt deposits....I'll post a pic to show how I did it...

Another question:
How does the gear lube communicate between the two housings? There is no drilled passage like my Alpha II. The only wet area I saw was around the hub of the lower driveshaft bearing carrier. How do I reseal the case joint to avoid lube leaks and water entry?
OK see the cone shaped extension inside the upper gear housing, this comes down over the bearing carrier and the 3 orings on the bearing carrier provide the seal

Observation:
Rust wouldn't stop falling out of the exhaust passage in both cases. Large flakes and lots of them. I'm betting this 31 yr old 3.0L exhaust tube is rotting from the inside out. Thoughts?
I bet the exhaust elbows and manifolds are rotting out.

My new long jaw snap ring pliers will arrive tomorrow and I'll extract that bent prop shaft. Stay tuned.



OK see the pic....I put bolts in 2 of the mounting holes in the upper gear housing, secured them with nuts...and a rod through the hole for the trim rams rod in the rear...now get 3 scissors jacks...put one under the front 2 bolts...one under each side of the rod in the rear...jack them evenly...and the upper will just pop right off. No prying, banging, or risk of breaking stuff.

Upon disassembly, it was clear to me that it was stuck on one of the O-rings on the bearing carrier (bottom most one).
 

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Lou C

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having trouble responding....the way the upper and lower allow oil flow is from the bearing carrier up to the cone shaped part inside the upper gear housing. It is sealed by the 3 O-rings that fit on the bearing carrier.

https://www.crowleymarine.com/johnson-evinrude/parts/55443.cfm?mdl=KK1PPB

part # 59 in the diagram (3 O-rings) that go on to part # 49 (bearing retainer) and they seal inside the cone shaped part of the upper gear housing....

I'd replace all 3 and coat them with motor oil to get them to slide down...maybe put some OMC triple guard grease on for good measure...will come apart easier next time...

for re-assembly...get new water tube grommets...and put the tube in the upper gear housing...and the plastic guide in the lower housing's grommet...the guide will 'guide' the tube in as you re-assemble.....
 

harringtondav

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I'm getting ready to wrap up this charity project. Waiting for an O ring and a seal that were shorted in the kits. Cobra newbie mistake here. I didn't pay attention to how deep - how many turns on the 'chicken lips' shifter rod had before I removed it to pull the prop shaft and re-seal the gear case.

On reassembly I bottomed it and backed it off until the lips pointed forward. About 1 1/2 turns up. But I think it was several threads higher when I started. I understand this can be important to shift timing with the helm controller.

Any tips or advice? Thanks.

Cobra shiift adjustment.jpg
 

kpg7121

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I'm getting ready to wrap up this charity project. Waiting for an O ring and a seal that were shorted in the kits. Cobra newbie mistake here. I didn't pay attention to how deep - how many turns on the 'chicken lips' shifter rod had before I removed it to pull the prop shaft and re-seal the gear case.

On reassembly I bottomed it and backed it off until the lips pointed forward. About 1 1/2 turns up. But I think it was several threads higher when I started. I understand this can be important to shift timing with the helm controller.

Any tips or advice? Thanks.


The shift rod height must be 7 & 13/64" from the drive housing surface to the top of the shift rod. This mesurement is critical for proper shift opration. There is a gauge you can use but i dont know if it's still available. Maybe ebay? Welcome to the wonderful world of OMC.
 

harringtondav

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The shift rod height must be 7 & 13/64" from the drive housing surface to the top of the shift rod. This mesurement is critical for proper shift opration. There is a gauge you can use but i dont know if it's still available. Maybe ebay? Welcome to the wonderful world of OMC.

Thanks. I'm fairly handy. With that dimension I'm pretty sure I can fabricate a gauge.
Just to be sure....to the top of the shift rod, not to the center of the chicken lips?
 
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