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  1. Lou C

    Building a '93 Caravelle 1750 Classic Bowrider

    Here are the OMC Cobra drive gear ratios from my 1988 Factory Shop Manual: 2.3 liter Ford 4 cyl: 2:1 3.0 liter GM 4 cyl: 1.71:1 4.3 liter GM V6: 1.68:1 5.0 liter GM V8: 1.50:1 5.7 liter GM V8: 1.41:1 7.5 liter Ford V8: 1.43:1 Not sure if they changed between 1988-1993 might have to find a later...
  2. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    On some of the conversions I have seen with pods, the engines are so far back I can’t imagine that the balance of the boat isn’t affected. An I/O actually has better balance with the engines being forward and low….
  3. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    Salt away will (or is supposed to) dissolve salt and calcium deposits, that may loosen some rust flakes, but once cast iron starts rusting, it is going to keep doing that which is why that stuck open thermostat is more or less a chronic problem we all have in salt water. I though of other safer...
  4. Lou C

    Engine over heats

    Those can crack esp if water was not drained out in winter. The other thing that can cause trouble is the water tube grommets in the lower unit
  5. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    As far as flushing I might use salt-away available here in the USA, then rinse with water…
  6. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    As far as using AF the first thing is to use propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol which is quite toxic and will wind up in your yard, driveway when you start up in spring. The way I have always done it is actually simple, I manually drain everything, poke the drains in the block manifolds...
  7. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    The one thing I did years ago to my 20' Four Winns was make the rear access better. That helps, but I am still going to install a remote oil filter and extend the block drains with hoses to make it easier to winterize. If I don't have to pull the seats out every time, I can tolerate it. excuse...
  8. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    Yes they are! As for me if this boat stays in reasonably good shape, I may just keep it and repower it when necessary, I figure if I'm lucky I got about maybe 5 more years of boating that I can do. So, not really worth spending $45-$50 K on a new or newer outboard boat. Repower = 1/10th the...
  9. Lou C

    Add cleat to trailer?

    My local ramp was redone so it’s not falling apart but it’s still shallow. So I use the full roller trailer and I got the boat as low as I can get it by getting different crossmember brackets from Load Rite. That and a 4x4 Jeep with limited slips front & rear & V8 power. To use a nice steep ramp...
  10. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    I have to say your mechanical skills far exceed mine! I do mostly maintenance and have done some bigger repairs: on the boat the deck about 17 years ago; top engine overhaul about 7 years ago (new cyl heads & exhaust) this spring rebuilt the trim cylinders. Jeeps I’ve done all the maintenance &...
  11. Lou C

    My 84 4winns horizon 195 project.

    All the rot started under the helm seat pedestals & rear bench seats where the carpet kept it wet. I had no idea how long this job would last but I have to say this boat has never been in inside storage; in the season it’s in the water with bow & cockpit covers and in winter it has a custom fit...
  12. Lou C

    My 84 4winns horizon 195 project.

    You want the longest lasting deck? In the chronically damp Northeast? Well when we redid ours 17 years ago carpet was not an option (that’s what caused the rot in the first place by holding in moisture), sea deck might not have been on the market yet. So I had the ‘glass shop gel coat it in non...
  13. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    Well other than routine maintenance, very few people are doing major repairs on them. Partly due to extremely high parts cost, and also complexity. It's not like pulling the heads off a small block Chevy, that's for sure. Also, when they start to corrode on the block deck surface, or same place...
  14. Lou C

    Engine over heats

    Also don’t forget to also replace a scored wear plate in the impeller housing….
  15. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    If there’s any rust flakes stuck in the stat you’ll have the result you see, 100-120*F. Over time sometimes the engine will clear itself and stop shedding rust flakes. What I have done when that happens is run it up on plane & then bring it back to idle. Then carefully tap the stat housing with...
  16. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    Those are valid concerns, for sure…money invested vs what you could sell it for & how well it performs. I followed a few of these conversions on the hull truth and the people who did them were happy with the result & performance but the cost is very high esp with a twin engine set up…
  17. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    There are several “ifs” that would have maintained the popularity of I/Os vs outboards: If (mod edit) inboards (didn't have) expensive potentially dangerous cat exhaust If boat companies would design the engine space for easy access If there were better/more effective anti fouling paints for...
  18. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    It’s a misconception that the D/S bellows will sink the boat; as long as that seal is in place it will be a small slow leak. What will is that infernal Merc shift cable bellows! I never liked that design & think the OMC/Volvo shift cable tube is safer. When OMC came out with the Cobra they tried...
  19. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    Well the way it all fits together a bellows leak will let some water in but not much remember there is (or should be) a seal behind the gimble bearing. So if that seal is there a bellows leak prob won’t sink the boat but sure it will ruin the gimble & ujoints). That Alpha shift cable bellows on...
  20. Lou C

    Head gasket 2.3l 1986 Sportsman 1900

    If it’s a 2.3 liter 4 cyl that’s gotta be an OMC Cobra abs the engine is a Ford 4 cyl used in many smaller Fords in the 70s & 80s. Take the head to an automotive machine shop check for cracks & do a valve job. Check the block deck for cracks burn marks and flatness.
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