89' 2.3 omc cobra questions

[lumpys22]

I have just bought an 89' spectrum 1950 w/ a 2.3 omc cobra ib/ob. I bought the boat after hearing it run on land w/ muffs on and it runs well and appears to shift smooth . The guy I bought it from had told me the outdrive had been rebuilt last year, but didn't provide any documentation to prove it. So I'll take him at his word unless I find out otherwise. I'm looking to spend a decent amount of time and money into replacing the deck,consoles and bow setup as well as replacing the seats. Before I get into doing that I want to make sure I'm not throwing good money away. Can someone walk me thru a list of things I should be checking out to determine what kind of shape things are in? I have not done a pressure test on the cylinders but intend to. What kind of pressure should I be wanting to see? Any information would be greatly appreciated. I've been cautioned to steer clear of older ib/ob because they can cost the long dollar but really like the boat and would like to give a thorough look over before deciding to rebuild it. Thanks again lump

 

[DavidW2009]

Re: 89' 2.3 omc cobra questions

There is a link to a downloadable OMC Cobra manual under the "Adults Only" section of this iboat IB/OB forum. The manual gives the specs for compression, etc.

The compression on my 2.3L is 150 - 155 lbs.. Oil pressure 55 psi warmed up.

A couple of observations:

If that boat is a 19', that's a lot of boat for that I/O.

Best check your wallet first, and decide what you want to spend. It's not going to be cheap.

 

[Juniinc]

Re: 89' 2.3 omc cobra questions

2.3 in a 1950?
considered normal if the lowest cylinder reading is within 75% of the highest ,,,
U prolly want em above 105.
I would remove the top cover to check the gear lube condition.
If it was mine, I will pull the outdrive out inspect over all condition,,,bellows/ujoint/gimbal bearing/shaft spline/ETC.

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: 89' 2.3 omc cobra questions

Congrats! You have bought one of the most obscure and hard to find parts for I/Os ever built. That said, as long as the manifold is in good shape you could possibly get several years out of it. It would be wise to have a pro MARINE mechanic do a mechanical inspection on it before you spend ANY more$$$ on it.

 

[ifallsguy]

Re: 89' 2.3 omc cobra questions

I've been running an 89 2.3L OMC for 2 years. Yes, OMC no longer exists. Yes, some parts can be difficult to find (exhaust manifold as an example).

Except for specific marine parts (alternator, starter, carb, etc), this is a Ford 2.3L engine. I replaced the timing belt and tensioner with the same one used by an 87 Ford Ranger 2.3L engine. The savings was about 35%.

You will need to do a little research for engine parts. Make sure you use marine parts where needed (carb, starter, altenator, etc) because they are designed to work in an enclosed boat safely.

As for underpowered, I run between 30-35 mph and my fuel economy is better than that of a higher powered boat. My 31 gallon fuel tank give me a range of over 125 miles with plenty of reserve. A friend with a 5L engine has a tank twice as large and 80% of my range.

If you are looking for a recreation boat, this could be it. I would suggest watching Ebay for a factory service manual. And grab a parts book, if you can find one. I use both and have saved money by doing my own work and being able to find parts through an exchange lookup.

Enjoy the boat. When you can afford to, you can always upgrade. And you'll have experience using this one.

 

[lumpys22]

Re: 89' 2.3 omc cobra questions

Well that's all good information, I'll do a compression test and start to do some reading...To give you the whole story I also have a 88 bluefin 1900 with a 85 horse ob that is very similar shape and I'm trying to decide which boat I should keep. I like the spectrum because it has more deck space so If It's practical I'll keep that one.

thanks lump